Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

For absolute clarity, in the question the Deputy submitted he made no reference to any of the schools he referred to when he took to the floor. In fact, he simply asked if there was to be increased funding made available to run the Bus Éireann service. Let us be absolutely clear about what he sought information on and what he has now asked for on the floor of the Dáil. Those are two very separate things. I endeavoured to answer the question that he put on paper and he required me to answer. I have done that. Over the last number of years, we have increased substantially the funding available to run the school transport scheme. No doubt we will do likewise in budget 2025. We have a very ambitious plan to ensure that there will be 100,000 additional young people availing of the bus service. Again, I would say that there is clear criteria at this time. If students meet that criteria and a route is in place, they will be deemed eligible. If they do not meet the criteria they will not be eligible.

We are running two new types of pilots which will do away with the distance criteria and reduce it to 2 km and which will remove the criteria of the nearest or next nearest school. Those pilots will inform how we move forward.

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