John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

All children who are eligible have school transport. There is a difficulty with some children who were eligible but who did not pay on time. The difficulty is that Bus Éireann has no choice in this matter. If children do not apply on time, it fills the bus. When I referred to all eligible children, I meant all those who have paid, and I believe I said that.

Regarding new school builds, we try to project between two to three years into the future the schools that will be built in different areas and where the transport services will be needed. We speak regularly to Bus Éireann on that. If the Deputy considers schools that were built five, ten or 15 years ago or up to a few years ago, he will note buses are running from those schools. We make sure of that. It can sometimes take a little time. The Deputy must remember that not everybody who has a bus or a taxi wants to use it for school transport. Not everybody who has a taxi wants to use it to bring children with special needs to school. Every year, we spend weeks, sometimes until 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., working with officials to get carers, Garda clearance certificates and so on. My remit is to get every eligible child and every child with special educational needs a place on school transport.

My officials tell me that is the case.

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