Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. They are much appreciated. It is fantastic to see an increase of almost 50% in such a short space of time. If we get to 270,000 pupils by 2030, what percentage of our primary and post-primary population will that be? Would that amount to about a quarter of children travelling on the school bus system? I do not think the witnesses will be able to tell me just yet, based on this year's figures, but in the previous school year, how many children were refused a place on a bus?

The Minister for education announced the need for the NCSE to be notified by 1 October of pupils who want to be in a special class or special school. Are there plans to do the same with the school transport scheme? In most homes where there are two parents, they both go out to work. To find out in the middle of July, or well into August in some cases, whether a child has a bus place can be difficult when planning for work and transport. I hope that will be done much sooner in the year, so that parents can make plans.

I will mention a local route, namely, Rathcore to Trim, for which people have campaigned for a long time. Concessionary tickets will no doubt issue, leaving some pupils and parents disappointed, as happens every year. The school transport review was published in early 2024, 18 months ago. I do not see a proper timeline for implementation other than by 2030. Those children will be out of school at that stage. There are 28 families on that route, including the O'Raffertys and the Connollys - I could name them all. The main issue is the recommendation that parents be allowed to choose where their kids go to school. They should not be penalised by this scheme. The 14 pilots that ran were mostly a success, I believe, and will probably run again. The Minister confirmed at the committee a couple of weeks ago that more will be added. There were none in Meath, which has one of the fastest growing populations in the country.

Does Mr. Ó Ruairc know whether Rathcore to Trim will be one of those routes? I know of another bus route operating in the Clonard-Killyon area that goes to Rochfortbridge and, again, there are 20 pupils on that route. Will they be part of the pilot as well?