Mr. Seán Ó Foghlú:

I agree and the company has sought to enhance its customer services. Equally, however, we have cut-off dates for people applying and paying for transport. Even in a good year, and this was not one, people have not met those cut-off dates. The Department, Bus Éireann, and the Minister responsible have always sought to provide as much school transport as possible. Each time we set a deadline, it passes and we allow for that.

If we adhered to the deadline, we would be able to provide transport more easily for everybody who had applied and paid by that time. We do not want to do that, however. There was one period, in particular, when the health advice changed as we were trying to put the new arrangements in place, and that meant it was not possible for Bus Éireann to respond. The company has now put those arrangements in place to try to work further on its customer service. I accept fully the points made by Deputy Dillon.