Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I can assure the Deputy that the Department is not stale. There are 1,300 people working there and over the last three months they have been faced with unprecedented challenges. They showed amazing resilience and had the ability to be creative as well.

On the issue the Deputy raised in respect of operators outside the Bus Éireann contract, he is correct that it is the Bus Éireann-contracted private operators who get the 50%. There was an issue and I know it was raised in my own county. We have a contract as a Department with Bus Éireann and it is specifically with Bus Éireann. On school bus tickets, the Deputy is right that we are faced with this conundrum every summer. It is unnecessary pressure for parents at times because it is a difficult one to get right. On the new guidelines that were introduced in 2011-12 for the nearest school, I managed to change the criteria for post-primary whereby the second closest school could be included. We still have issues for primary school. That is why I have set up a review for the school transport sector and it is really important that it is not just going through the motions. I have the terms of reference and we have a group set up internally in the Department. No doubt the House will be kept up to date on it. The student representative body of the secondary school students played a phenomenal role during the debate on the leaving certificate. Their voice was critical and crucial. The Deputy mentioned Ciara Fanning from his own county. She was so articulate and so on the ball in representing the pressure and stress on students at that time. I acknowledge that.

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