Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)

Going back a number of months, a huge amount of money is being spent on special education transport. That predominantly relates to children being driven long distances, getting on buses early in the day and not returning until late in the evening. Our aim is to ensure we have an inclusive education system, with children, insofar as is possible, attending schools as near as possible to them. There is a fundamental issue in trying to ensure the complexity of needs of children is met, insofar as possible, within their communities. That applies in both urban and rural areas. The picture is painted of people travelling long distances in rural Ireland, but there is the same issue in urban Ireland. Nearly every member has mentioned the traffic this morning.