James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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It may be inappropriate to raise this issue, but the implementation of the distance criteria in regard to school transport is causing untold problems in rural areas. Sometimes two children in a family may be going to one school, but the third child is now being forced to attend a different school. This is placing a huge burden on parents, who sometimes have to bring their children to two or three different pick-up points. Is there are any chance there can be flexibility for children whose siblings are in a different school? The Minister can understand the problems this issue causes working parents in rural areas, particularly if they have to drop children to pick-up points at different ends of the parish.