Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

I apologise for not being available to speak earlier. The changes to the primary school transport scheme announced in the 2011 budget is having an effect on families and local school communities. This is a sensitive area and it is having a disconcerting impact on families, school communities, boards of management, parents councils and private bus operators. I do not know where the changes to the various criteria have come from. Free transport is a thing of the past. It is a myth. People do not have a problem with paying for it. The issue relates to certainty on where one's children will be educated, continuity and more importantly that siblings would be allowed to attend the same school.

The amalgamation of small schools has been an ongoing issue for decades. It has proven detrimental in many cases. I remember when it happened in my area in the 1960s. We moved away from that approach and communities settled down and gelled again. Guidelines were imposed about distances. I understand the current minimum distance one must live from a school is now 2 km but, more importantly, if there is not a minimum of ten pupils a bus will not be provided. If there are nine pupils they will not have any place to go, which is unnerving. What independent evaluation has been carried out? Previously, when schools were amalgamated the minimum distance one had to live from a school was set at 3 miles. I never availed of school transport. As there was no amalgamation we always took the children to national school by car. Many people have begun to do so again given the significant increase in secondary school transport costs in recent years. They are willing and happy to do that.

The change to school transport regulations is a complete bolt out of the blue. It is a threat to many rural communities. If one takes a school out of a community much community activity is removed. Areas become denuded of population as there is no reason for people to live in a locality in the absence of a community network based around a school. We have seen in the past that communities did not recover when schools closed. Even farming communities die away and rural areas become more isolated. The integrity of families is a concern in addition to the costs.

Bus companies are also concerned about their viability. Bus Éireann has had the franchise for the organisation of school transport. What is the cost to it for the administration of the scheme? The question of unfair competition arises as Bus Éireann has retained the best routes for itself. If there was open competition in the transport area there would not be a need to close schools for financial reasons. Two-teacher schools have been asked to submit reasons they should remain open.

A two-pronged attack is being made on these rural schools. This will be detrimental unless there is a fair and proper adjudication of the situation. I am aware of a family where a child of seven years is already part of the scheme and will be able to continue in it for the next six years. A younger sibling will not be allowed to avail of the transport, however, and will have to travel to school in another county. As we are aware from sport and the GAA, county boundaries are a big issue in some rural areas. Schools in towns may be doing all right and have sufficient numbers, but rural schools four miles or so out of town may be struggling with numbers. None the less, these schools provide a valuable service to the community and the pupils and their families are happy with them. Now, however, a younger sibling may have to attend the town school. Will buses taking children to these rural schools be taken off their route if there are not sufficient students, for example, if numbers drop below ten? There is great uncertainty in this area and I call for an independent evaluation of the situation.

Bus Éireann should also be obliged to open up the school bus routes to competition. Private bus owners have provided a good service, not in rich areas but on routes not favoured by Bus Éireann. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me raise this significant issue and look forward to the Minister's reply.

See this speech in context