Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The policy change is the right one and is based on the nearest school. The old system meant people had a choice and we had buses traversing all over the countryside. There is a logic to this. The cost of providing school transport goes up every year. It is very expensive and we are trying to manage this as fairly and equitably as we can on behalf of the taxpayers. A previous Government suggested the changes and brought them in. We have implemented them and will stand over them because they are correct but the Deputy should not try to make out that it is all somebody else's fault. The right decision was made to get best value for money. We have to judge this scheme equitably across the country for everybody. We cannot make up rules as we go along for each family, it does not work that way and it would not be fair. I have reviewed many files and Bus Éireann always tries to do the right thing locally when it can, while implementing the rules fairly for everybody across the board.

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