Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman very much for allowing me to make a few points. I welcome the Minister and thank her for her responses.

To save time, I call on her to ensure, with Deputy McGrath and her colleagues at Cabinet, that there is a measure in the budget next week to alleviate the anxiety and hardship on the 6,000 applicants who were discommoded this year.

I acknowledge that all eligible applicants received this transport, there has been a 21% increase in numbers, 124,000 tickets have issued and the review is ongoing and, therefore, I do not need to cover that ground.

Is it an assistant secretary or a principal officer or who is responsible within the Department for school transport? The Minister does not need to name the person but she might just confirm if there is one.