Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their responses. I did not get an answer to one of my earlier questions. I seek a "Yes" or "No" answer from the witnesses from Bus Éireann and the Department. Have they all read what the report of the Ombudsman for Children, Dr. Niall Muldoon, states about bus transport? Does the Bus Éireann carry out a risk assessment for those children who have to walk along dangerous roads to access a bus stop in rural areas?

A departmental official said that the Minister looked at the tolerance level and it is in place, in effect. That is very grey for me. I do not know how it is in place and how long it has been there. How is it being enacted and judged? Is it only for access to Government Deputies or Ministers or is it available throughout the country? I do not understand the tolerance. I was talking about having a tolerance of seven to ten or eight to ten children in order that there would be flexibility where numbers would drop back, for example, to eight, but greater numbers would be coming through in future. I need to know that because it would be a clear message for schools in rural areas.

Mr. Gannon said that someone did not need to be able to drive it to be able to access it or to be able to measure it. I think that is absolutely shameful.