Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have two minutes and in that time I will zone in on school transport. First, I say "Well done" to the Minister on the schools reopening. It is a good news story. I also say "Well done" to her in respect of the leaving certificate and with regard to sense finally prevailing in the context of not profiling schools.

On school transport, I wish to move beyond her statement that it is a massive daily logistical undertaking. It certainly is that and it certainly is of benefit that 120,000 children, including 14,200 with special needs, who avail of it, but we are way beyond that. The Dáil declared a climate emergency. A recent Supreme Court judgment found that our mitigation plan is vague, not fit for purpose and does not set out properly the targets in respect of climate change. We need to move on this massive logistical undertaking and realise that we need to have proper public transport and school transport systems. We need to stop looking. I will not be party to a discussion whereby people are giving out about Bus Éireann or private operators. We are beyond all of that. It is time to lead.

The Minister is new to the job and I wish her the very best, but she cannot do this on her own. She needs to speak to Deputy Ryan of the Green Party, who is the Minister with responsibility for transport. They need to speak to each other on this matter and to facilitate a comprehensive school transport system for all students in order to take cars off the road.

The mixed messages that are constantly going out are of grave concern to me. This matter was raised earlier in the context of pubs. The Government is sending out the very bad message that people should avoid public transport. We should not be sending out a message that people should avoid public transport. Rather, we should be sending out regular updates on how public transport is being made more suited to carrying more people such that we can rise to the challenge of climate change. It makes absolute sense to so do. I am not here to give out about or demonise any side in respect of this issue. Rather, I am here to put on the record that we must provide comprehensive school transport for all pupils, regardless of whether they have medical cards or concessionary tickets.

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