Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I would like to get an answer to the question I asked previously about investment in the fleet, if this might be possible. Mention was made of the recommendations from the review not being implemented or the start of them not being implemented. I come from Cavan. There was a situation in my area last year, in Rahoran, where 18 students were told about two weeks before secondary school started that they had no school transport. They were concessionary ticket holders. Some of them had concessionary tickets for four years prior to this happening. Suddenly, two weeks from school starting, they were going into fifth and sixth year and had no transport. It was such a shock. It was resolved, although it took weeks to do so. I think this was done by moving people from one bus route to another and things that should have been done prior to telling people there was no transport for their sons or daughters. Parents who were working or who had younger children were caught and had no way of getting their children to school. It would be good if we could avoid situations like that. Eighteen students is a big number.

Regarding the 10,000 people applying late this year, is this reflective of every year? Would this number of people be applying late or not paying on time every year? I know this year there was the portal and it was possible to pay at the same time, which is welcome. Before that, it was necessary for people to register and then go back, and they sometimes forgot to do the second part. Perhaps there might be a way of notifying people earlier. These are new applicants, so they are not familiar with the system.