John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Thank you. While it is a complex area in terms of the transport that is provided, it is not so complex that the Department could not put together some sort of tender arrangement whereby it would at least ask the market. Everyone, whether in business or Departments, is being encouraged to ask for a number of tenders. Given that of all the issues are being discussed in the media and elsewhere, it might be much more transparent if the Department could say it had tendered, explain the service it is receiving, outline the issues, explain how they are being dealt with and reveal the cost. Bus Éireann might win the tender again or might be the only company to submit a tender. I would have thought the Department would consider it to determine what such a system costs. Is Mr. Ó Foghlú suggesting that the Comptroller and Auditor General can examine the cost of school transport?