Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The number of contributors to the debate, from a number of different constituencies, shows the importance of this issue. The demand for school transport is rising because our population is growing. There are new housing developments in every county that are not on any public transport route, which creates problems. It is important when planning permission is being given to ensure there is a transport corridor that can and will be used. More than 150,000 children go to school every day on school transport. We all acknowledge and welcome that. There are 18,000 children with special educational needs taking school transport. Notwithstanding the individual difficulties we all encounter in our constituencies, when we meet children and families in that situation, the Department makes a huge effort to resolve the problem and, in the vast majority of cases, it is able to do so. More than 5,400 children from Ukraine and now living in Ireland are availing of school transport. The situation is not all bad. There are a lot of good things happening.

However, I will focus on where the issues are arising in my constituency. We have issues in east Meath, in Clogherhead and Collon, and in Dunleer, Darver and Tinure. Concerns arise on different routes where children are eligible for transport but there are no services available or Bus Éireann is still trying to secure services. I met recently with a person who runs a private bus company. He showed me a letter he received from Bus Éireann stating that if he could supply as a matter of urgency a bus for school transport and a driver, Bus Éireann would be more than happy to take up that offer. The difficulty, as Deputy Murnane O'Connor alluded to, is that the only bus drivers he can offer are over 70 years of age. It is not acceptable that they are excluded. If a driver meets the medical, vision and hearing requirements that are critical for driving a bus and if he or she has insurance, there is no risk in taking on somebody of that age. I reached the ripe young age of 75 last week. I am not a bus driver and, in fact, my wife does not think I am a great car driver at times. I hope she does not hear what I have said or she will give out to me. My point is that, in the modern world, many people, as they age, are very capable of driving buses or of being a Minister, if the Taoiseach would wish to appoint me.

Age should not come into it if the person is physically fit, is able, has all the requirements and can get insurance.

There is another issue with concessionary applicants who have had tickets for years. If it is a concessionary ticket the name goes into the lottery. What happens? Somebody who has applied in their first year as a concessionaire may get the place, meaning someone who may have had four years on the school bus is left out on the road. It is not good enough. We need change. While I accept there is a review, the sooner we get those changes in place, the better.

See this speech in context