Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In terms of the school transport, I appreciate the difficulties that this poses for many. In the first instance, it is important to say that the waiving of school transport fees was in respect of those who met the criteria. Everybody knows the criteria now. Perhaps not knowing it in advance, the criteria is 3.2 km from one's nearest primary school and 4.8 km from one's nearest or next nearest post-primary school. Those who met that criteria are being satisfied and provided for.

There has always been an issue of concessionaries. For example, in previous years where there was additional capacity, concessionary tickets were provided for. That is also happening this year. There is a 27% or 28% increase in the number of concessionaries who are gaining tickets this year - an 18% increase in those who were eligible in the first instance.

At this point, 126,000 tickets have been issued. That, at this point, compares to 103,000 tickets last year. Additional funding, as the Senator will be aware, has been secured in the budget where we are now looking to satisfy those who were in receipt of concessionary tickets last year, who applied on time and where there is capacity. We are working through that, notwithstanding that in some areas I will absolutely concede there are difficulties, either in obtaining buses or bus drivers. Some areas are more challenged than others. I appreciate that, from the Senator's point of view as well. Considerable progress has been made in this regard. Those who met the criteria have been successful and there has been a 28% increase in those who were concessionaries who gained a ticket compared to previous years.

In terms of some of the other areas the Senator raised in terms of senior cycle, we are progressing some of the elements that we already see of senior cycle in operation, for example, the leaving certificate vocational programme, LCVP. Heretofore, students had to avail of certain types of subjects very much in the business sphere to be eligible to avail of LCVP. That criterion no longer is provided for. It is open to all students to access it.

Equally, the leaving certificate applied programme and the leaving certificate established, or the traditional leaving certificate programme, stood independent of each other. I can see, and many here will be aware, that it had opportunities to impact negatively on career choices for students. From this year, students who are studying leaving certificate applied had the option of taking, for example, mathematics from the leaving certificate established programme.

Other work I referenced earlier includes the development work that is already in the public consultation around the development of the two new subjects, film, theatre and drama and climate action and business. That is out there for public consultation to conclude at the end of the month.

On the network schools programme, there has been some significant interest from some schools. We are taking the opportunity to promote it to all schools or for there to be a more formal promotion of that for schools that might wish to avail of it.

Of course, we are looking at other elements, also imbedded in senior cycle. Aspects would be the orals, music at Easter time, that is, outside of school time, and a review on how it operated last year with a view to seeing how we can imbed that going forward.

In terms of bullying, I acknowledge the work of Dr. Noel Purdy, as I said initially, who is chairing the steering group. He is of Stranmillis University College, Antrim. I acknowledge that this review of the 2013 action plan is a significant one. I acknowledge the impressive and significant body of work that this committee has done. It is intrinsic to the work of the steering committee. In fact, a presentation was made to the steering committee on all of the work and the issues that this committee identified. Equally, the membership of the steering group is significant. It includes Professor James O'Higgins Norman, who holds the UNESCO chair at DCU.

I do not wish in any way to prejudice the outcome of the steering committee but, for example, one of the key issues that Senator Dolan raised was around the roll-out of the FUSE programme.