John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are looking at the appeals system about which many members rightly spoke and with which they have some difficulty. We expect to receive some information on the appeals process over the next five or six weeks. We carried out a complete review of concessionary transport. We will write to everyone over the next couple of weeks regarding changes we are proposing. The objective will then be to bring together again the group of Deputies from all parties regarding what we have done with concessionary transport and appeals. This is very difficult. Essentially, almost 99.9% of people are happy with the system. There are some flaws and difficulties, particularly on concessionary transport, buses and minimum numbers required for a bus. I must make it clear that a Deputy will often state the minimum requirement for a bus is ten but as members know, someone will come along with seven. Where do we stop? Do we bring it down to five, four, three or two? Some criteria must be laid down. Overall, the statistics prove that an overwhelming majority of people whose children use the transport system are happy with it. There are some glitches and difficulties in the system that we are still trying to iron out with the review regarding concessionary transport and appeals. I have put some relevant questions to the Department that the Deputy requested me to ask. The Department will come back to me in a number of weeks. We will have a meeting with the group of Deputies to go through it again.