Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I appreciate the issues being brought forward to constituency offices. I am a rural Deputy myself and I understand that and the importance of the school transport system. We have made significant progress in the past year in addressing many of the issues that were problematic last year. This has been helped in no small measure by the review that is in place and as a consequence of the decision I made to ensure that the second nearest school would also be part of the terms of agreement for access to school transport.

The figures and the statistics speak for themselves, in that 98% of all valid and paid-on-time applicants have been issued with a ticket. That is a phenomenal figure to be able to discuss with the House here today.

On specific cases that the Deputy might raise, there is always a mechanism where, if there is an exception for whatever reason, whether due to family circumstances not allowing payment on time or if something has happened, this can be reviewed.

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