Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What we have just heard from Deputy Clarke is example after example of families in crisis. That is what it is for those families. If you cannot get your children into school and you have to make alternative arrangements, in some cases, it is a crisis within the family. I spoke to a constituent last week who has written to many other elected representatives through tears, as she put it, talking about how she had to give up work for the past month just to be able to get her children to school because the school transport system is unable to cater for her needs and those of her family along with many others. For the Minister to talk about a review that has been ongoing for two and half years shows that this go-slow and do-nothing Government is out of touch with ordinary people and the hardships they face. The reality is that there are countless children and families in every constituency across the State who still do not have the school transport to which they are entitled.

I will focus on one part of my constituency, namely, the village of Creeslough, which was served by a private bus for many years. This week is leading up to the first-year anniversary of the awful disaster that befell the community of Creeslough, including children who come from some of the schools I will mention. I know the Minister is familiar with the area. She visited the schools and the area afterwards. The 2 p.m. service has been withdrawn from them. This cluster of schools has been provided with a service by a private operator that involves children being transported many miles to their primary school. Now they have no service, parents are forced to rely on childminders, grandmothers or grandfathers or in some cases they are forced to give up work to get their children to school. I understand Bus Éireann has submitted a report to the national office looking for a service to be provided. It will ultimately fall to the Minister and I ask her to make the right decision, make sure all of those families are able to get their children to school through public transport and authorise that without delay.

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