Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a matter with which I am familiar; Deputy Cannon has been raising it as well. I am sure he has been attending the same meetings as the Deputy and engaging with parents, pupils and teachers who are concerned about the issue.

I acknowledge the scheme's importance and the valuable role it plays in supporting school access and supporting families. I also acknowledge the importance of the cost of school transport in the context of the cost-of-living challenges that many are facing. While Deputies understandably raise difficulties in moments like this, it is worth pointing out that this is a scheme providing support for 147,900 children the current school year, including 18,000 children with special educational needs, all of whom are transported on a daily basis to their schools. This scheme provides an important, valuable and deserved support to nearly 150,000 children and their families. It is because of this that the Government is committed to continuing the scheme while also ensuring it is available on a sustainable basis.

The measures from last year that the Deputy referred to resulted from a decision to reduce the charge to €50 per student at primary level and €75 per student at post-primary level, with a cap per family of €125.

First, that was an important intervention from the Government to try to help with the cost of living, and with what we know is one of the biggest daily costs in people's lives, which is the cost of transport. It is a cost that can be particularly high for families who depend on transport for school access. As Deputy Canney is aware, the Government is currently carrying out a review of the school transport scheme, but while that review is in place we are doing all we can to ensure that those who are eligible for support for transport under the current scheme have their needs met. I am not in a position, as I am sure Deputy Canney can appreciate, to give him a definitive answer on a particular route, or on particular families. I can just emphasise the support that we have for the scheme overall. Of course, the Government, Deputy Cannon, and other Deputies who are dealing with this issue, will all do what we can to try to get the clarity Deputy Canney is looking for and the answers that, more importantly, families, pupils and schools need, as soon as possible in the year and in advance of the new school year.

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