Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Deputy raising this issue. School transport is a vital public service. In the 2022-2023 school year, for example, 149,000 children, including more than 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported daily to primary and post-primary schools. I will talk to the Minister for Education in respect of Tunnyduff National School which the Deputy has highlighted. There have been issues on some occasions in sourcing contractors, or when contractors have been sourced they belatedly pull out, which has created difficulty. As of 22 September a number of routes do remain without a service. It is about 1.2% of pupils. I will talk to the Minister in respect of the case the Deputy has raised.

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