Rural Waterford pubs let down by insufficient transport options - News - Waterford News & Star

’This is about far more than supporting rural pubs...It’s about giving people freedom and independence’

'The pub has always been the heart of village life, it’s where neighbours meet, friendships are maintained and stories are shared. It’s where the community comes together.'

Darragh Murphy Last week’s Budget 2027 announcement included a €15 million scheme to help keep rural pubs open.

Although welcomed, the allocation still begs the question: How are people to get to rural pubs without the transport to do so?

Cllr Niamh O’Donovan has made a call for more Local Link bus routes in Waterford to service our rural villages.

“We need to do more as a Council for these communities to be properly serviced,” Cllr O’Donovan said.

“The pub has always been the heart of village life, it’s where neighbours meet, friendships are maintained and stories are shared. It’s where the community comes together.

“But there is another important part to this conversation, and that’s how people get to the heart of our communities, and more importantly, how they get home."

She has called for an expansion, along with reliable, well-published routes and timetables connecting rural villages and towns, including evening services.

“This is about far more than supporting rural pubs, it's about a teenager getting home safely from an after-school activity, older people visiting friends independently, someone travelling into town for shopping or an appointment. It's about giving people freedom and independence."