Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

First, I thank the Minister of State for coming into the Chamber to take this Topical Issue. I know that the Minister of State has a particular interest in transport and rural transport because I saw the efforts that he made three-and-a-half years ago in the programme for Government negotiations, which went right down to the wire because of his insistence on providing transport for rural Ireland. I know he is particularly interested in this subject. However, I have to say I am very disappointed that neither the Minister, Deputy Foley, nor the Minister of State at the Department of Education are here to answer this particular Topical Issue because it is very much within their remit and it is not fair that it is left to the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien. Deputy O'Brien's portfolio is a very different one now and this is really for the Minister, Deputy Foley, and, to some extent, the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan.

There is a situation in Limerick where children are being driven to school. They used to have a school bus but do not at present. It is an immediate and urgent situation that needs to be resolved and I would like the Minister of State to take that back to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan. The bus provider that had been providing the service has pulled out and now there are a lot of students being driven by their parents, grandparents and neighbours to school every morning because that service is no longer there.

I pay tribute to the students of the Salesian school in Pallaskenry who have mobilised on this particular issue. The school has a strong track record when it comes to sustainability generally. I met other students of the school recently when they were involved in the Shooting the Breeze project, which was all about the offshore wind potential off our Atlantic coast, and particularly for these students in west County Limerick when they grow up.

The school's interest and track record is excellent. They have mobilised. They formed a committee. The chair is a young man named Shane Fitzgerald. They are supervised by their teacher, Ms Marie Keane.

They have come to me and every other Oireachtas Member in Limerick city and county outlining this problem they have. They are not being selfish about it, however. They have outlined that it is a problem that exists throughout the country, given multiple transport systems do not speak to one another and are not integrated. Empty buses pass these children as they are being driven to school in the morning but they cannot use those buses. Even where school transport is provided, teachers and other staff cannot use the school buses. The transport system is not integrated.

I have previously called for school transport to be taken from the Department of Education and given to the Department in which it rightly belongs, namely, the Department of Transport, whereby all the services could be planned and co-ordinated effectively. Not having this service is putting undue stress on students and their families, and the example I have raised is only a microcosm of the problem throughout the State. It should be a priority of the Government to fix this. There is a shortage of resources at the moment but we are not working efficiently with the resources we do have. We need to resolve this as a matter of urgency.

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