Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I also want to raise the issue of school transport, which Deputy Mattie McGrath referred to earlier, and a family affected by it. Michael O'Brien has a daughter who is 12 years of age and who is recovering from leukaemia. The school bus stops outside her door but she is refused a seat on the bus. We have 14 other students in that area who have also been refused school transport. There are numerous examples in County Tipperary where Bus Éireann has refused to provide transport for children for school.

The single parent in question, Michael O'Brien, has to choose between going to work or taking his daughter to school. She has already missed eight school days this year. I have numerous examples from Moneygall or Kilcommon where Bus Éireann, although allocated an extra €11.3 million, is not providing the services needed in rural areas. Will the Minister urge Bus Éireann to put on extra school buses to get our pupils to schools?

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