Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I raise the absence of school transport for the children of Carrigaline Community Special School. There are 29 children who require school transport but none was planned as the school opened at the end of September, a full month after all other children returned to school. In fact, there are a number of children who are yet to set foot inside the school because they simply cannot get there. The Minister seeks to lay the blame at the door of the education and training board, ETB, and Bus Éireann but the truth is the fault lies with the Department and its failure to plan for the educational needs of these children, despite the fact most of them were already in the education system. Due to the nature of the education provided, many of these children live a significant distance from the school. There is temporary transport for just 12 children and even the transport provided in that case is not appropriate to their needs. The children attending at Carrigaline Community Special School have a right to their education and the Government has domestic and international obligations to uphold and deliver these rights. Surely it is not beyond the capacities of the Department and semi-State partners to ensure these 29 children get what they need. I ask the Taoiseach to resolve this matter urgently.

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