David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her response. I ask her to ask the Department to sanction a service from Cobh to Carrigtohill for the next school year in order to facilitate the young people involved. The parents have already done what the Minister has suggested; they have applied, but they have been told there is no bus service. We have many girls who are now discommoded. The cost is horrendous. I contend that they cannot realistically apply to the nearest school now, because some of them are in third, fourth or fifth year. Changing schools would mean a complete disruption of classes, subject choice, career choice and everything else. The actual distance involved is very short. The Minister did not mention Cobh or Carrigtohill at all. I received a similar response to a parliamentary question earlier. I suggest that the Minister go back to the Department and tell it to sanction this bus service from Carrigtohill to Midleton for the young people involved. It would make a massive difference to the families. There is no bus service there at present, or any way of getting from one place to another and Cobh does not have the capacity either. Perhaps the Minister will come back to me offline and tell me what can be done here. Some of these parents do not drive. I am told it that it is costing people up to €500 per annum in some instances. That is horrendous. This is an issue that needs the Minister's personal intervention. I sat in that chair for a while and I know what it means. The Minister has to call in the officials and say that there is a problem and that we want a solution. She knows the area in question well. She wants to do right by these girls because she taught in that school and knows exactly what I am talking about. We cannot allow this to continue. There is stress and strain on girls and a danger to them because they are hanging around in the evening waiting for a bus that might not come.

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