A community-based transport scheme should be established in rural areas to improve the quality of life of locals, an Oireachtas Committee said today.
Transport Committee chairman John Ellis called on local organisations like community councils, the IFA and ICMSA to discuss the issue and draw up proposals.
The all-party parliamentary body aims to raise the matter with the Taxi Regulator and inquire about tax breaks for local transport providers.
"There is scope out there for a rural transport system that can work and that serves the whole of the community, and not just pubs affected by the mandatory breath testing regime," said Fianna Fail TD, Mr Ellis.
The Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) met the Oireachtas Committee to discuss extending the Rural Transport Initiative to help ferry rural customers to and from pubs in the evening.
The Rural Transport Initiative was established in 2002 to provide passenger services for people to get from remote areas to their local towns.
The extension of the scheme to include pub patrons has been supported in the past by Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon O Cuiv.
Mandatory breath testing was introduced by the Transport Department last July and was credited with a 30% reduction in road deaths for 2006.
The VFI argued that people in small communities are unwilling to use their cars to travel to their local pubs because of Garda checkpoints and it is cutting them off from a vital social link.
Motorists may also be nervous about driving to shops on the morning after socialising because of the breath testing scheme, the four-member delegation said.
Labour TD Roisin Shortall told the Committee: "As a people, why are we so dependent on alcohol for our sanity? People in other European countries manage to get by without going to the pub every night.
"I enjoy a night in the pub as much as anybody else. You can attend the local pub but you don't have to be drinking every night." However the VFI delegation said that neighbours and clubs often went to the local pub to meet because alternative facilities don't exist in the area.
Dublin TD Martin Brady described the rural pub as a 'confession box'. He added: "Rural pubs are a lot different than urban pubs.
The publican knows all his customers and they come in and tell out all their problems." VFI chief executive Tadg O'Sullivan remarked: "This isn't an urban/rural divide. The Oireachtas introduced the mandatory breath testing which has forced people to stay at home so the Oireachtas should provide an alternative."
He added: "Publicans are not just looking for a 'booze bus'. People feel isolated and forgotten about. It is important that we put in a scheme to make them feel that we care about them."
PA