In the second of a two-day series on rural Ireland, Michael Clifford reports on how community programmes are helping local people to cope with loneliness and isolation

A NUMBER of organisations in Kerry have joined forces to tackle rural isolation and growing suicide levels among elderly people.

OLDER people and those with disabilities living in country areas can look forward to a better bus service, Transport Minister Martin Cullen pledged yesterday when he announced that the Rural Transport Initiative (RTI) is to become a permanent part of Government funding.