Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Through parliamentary questions and in a Topical Issue debate, I have raised the problems that have arisen due to the change in the criteria for school transport, especially since 2014.

There have been instances in which younger children who were about to start secondary school were not able to avail of the transport services their older siblings had availed of. This has created serious difficulties for many families. This is a particular issue in more remote parts of rural Ireland. I would like further consideration to be given to the overall transport scheme. An effort should be made to ameliorate the criteria to ensure families do not encounter additional costs and difficulties in gaining the easiest possible access to their local post-primary school centres.

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