Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On school transport, the Deputy will be aware of the original advice from NPHET, which identified children as a single cohort in a controlled environment. That meant there was no requirement for social distancing other than for masks to be worn by second-level students on buses. The additional resources were made available for hand sanitiser, PPE for the bus driver, measures for cleaning down the bus and all of that. A number of days ago, the NPHET advice changed on second-level schools and as a consequence of that we are working with Bus Éireann to roll out, as speedily as possible, the 50% capacity.

Some of that is already operational. Indeed, our further education and training service is already being supplied at 70% capacity. An additional 1,600 buses and drivers will be required. We are providing funding to make that possible. In the interim, we have offered to compensate parents who wish to provide transport themselves.

With regard to the private operators the Deputy mentioned, Bus Éireann may have a relationship with private operators but that is a different matter. Private operators who have a private arrangement with parents are not within my remit. The Department is only charged with overseeing the school transport system as operated by Bus Éireann. Private arrangements between parents and private operators fall within the remit of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport rather than the Department of Education and Skills.