To ask the Minister for Regional Development how his Department engages with older people and people with disabilities to identify and meet their transport needs; and what groups he has engaged in East Londonderry since September 2014.

My Department engages with a wide range of organisations in relation to transport including the Inclusive Mobility Transport Advisory Committee. This Committee is comprised of older people and people with disabilities who advise government and others in Northern Ireland on issues that affect the mobility of older people and people with disabilities.

Other organisations engaged include Rural Community Transport Partnerships, Disability Action, Royal National Institute for the Blind, Cedar Foundation, Guide Dogs NI, Barnardos, Action Mental Health, Volunteer Now, Action on Hearing Loss, Autism Network NI, Shopmobility, Epilepsy Action NI and the Omnibus Partnership.

My Department is also represented on the Vision Strategy Steering Group, Autism Strategy Regional Multi Agency Implementation team, the Health Trust Day Opportunities Project Group, Healthy Ageing Strategic Partnership and the Bamford Action Plan Steering Group.

Since September 2014 in the development of a draft Accessible Transport Strategy 2025 my Department has been engaged with regional organisations representing the interests of older people and people with disabilities. My officials engaged with 31 regional organisations and 12 took up the opportunity to meet with them. Meetings were held at venues across Northern Ireland including Coleraine and Londonderry.