Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)

The rules for the primary school transport scheme will change as a result of budget 2011 and these changes will come into effect for the school year 2011-12. The main changes are the introduction of an annual charge, the removal of eligibility under the central closed school rules for certain children living less than 3.2 km from the school, and a minimum of ten eligible children required to retain a transport service in a respective area.

These changes, when implemented, will cause problems and place pressure on children, parents, teachers and bus providers. Traffic hazards will also result where a service is withdrawn. In one part of north Kerry, some ten services have already been removed. This will cause hardship and the extra cars on the roads will give rise to safety issues at schools. The changes go against the commitment given over 30 years ago when primary schools were amalgamated or closed. Negotiations between the various parties and the Department at the time came to an agreement that a service would be provided, but now that agreement is being broken. The guarantees given then created a sense of trust and commitment, but that exists no longer.

Last night, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Deputy Jimmy Deenihan, Deputy Arthur Spring and I attended a meeting in Listowel which was attended by more than 400 people, from north Kerry, parts of Limerick, south Kerry and even one from Clare. There is absolute fear and dissatisfaction across the spectrum at what is being proposed and with what has been done. I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, is due to meet the people in the area in Listowel in a few weeks time. People are worried, concerned and fearful. Up to 40 people who attended the meeting last night spoke on the subject, but not one of them mentioned the fee of €50. Therefore, the issue is not the fee but the service, which if reduced will have a huge impact. Many of the contributors from the floor mentioned children travelling to school who currently have transport, but who, because of the implementation of the value for money review, will not have transport to school for the 2012-2013 school year, while their brother or sister may remain eligible. This issue is causing significant problems.

The proposals are also full of contradictions. With effect from 2011-12, there will be a charge of €50 for each eligible children, but eligible children who hold a medical card will not have to pay the charge. If there are seats available, a child who is not eligible to use the transport, can use it for a fee of €200 per annum. Children on medical cards who are not eligible will also have to pay the €200 if a seat is available for them, but will pay nothing if they are eligible. The proposals are full of contradictions and are causing a huge problem in rural Ireland. I submitted a question on this issue to the previous Minister of State, former Deputy Seán Haughey, and he responded that under the four-year national recovery plan, some €4.5 million in savings would need to be secured in 2011, rising to €17 million in 2014, through a combination of increases in charges and the implementation of measures identified in the value for money review of the school transport scheme.

Is it intended that these measures will be implemented and are we talking about taking €17 million from the school transport scheme? Can the Minister of State provide a guarantee that he will look at this issue in a positive manner that will reassure people? A principal teacher at the meeting last night drew a diagram for us showing the radius of the respective schools and demonstrated that some two thirds of areas within that area were not eligible for transport. This is another problem. We face safety problems, eligibility problems and the 3.2 km problem, yet not one person at the meeting last night mentioned the cost of €50. I thank the Chair for taking this matter on the Adjournment.

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