To ask the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to consult with older people and people with disabilities to highlight barriers to using pubic tansport in respect of developing the Accessible Transport Strategy 2015-2025.

Since November 2014, my Department has engaged extensively with older people and people with disabilities and the organisations that represent them, to identify the issues to be addressed in the Accessible Transport Strategy 2025. My officials have also taken advice from the Inclusive Mobility Transport Advisory Committee (IMTAC) on the priorities for the new Strategy and the indicators by which progress should be measured.

My Department has also worked closely with IMTAC in commissioning and carrying out a survey of the attitudes of disabled and older people to public transport. The results of this survey were published in April 2015.

The next stage in development of the Strategy will be a public consultation to be held over the coming months. This will provide a further opportunity for older people and people with disabilities to comment.