Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

Ar an gcéad dul síos, I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for giving me this opportunity this evening. I thank the Minister of State for being here. Every August, my office is inundated with school transport queries from parents who have not been able to secure a bus place for their child. I am sure the same applies in the Minister of State’s office. It is the same for all representatives. This causes unnecessary stress late in the day before schools return. Children cannot get a bus ticket. Some might live too close to their nearest school, some live too far away from their school of choice and some are minimally further in distance between their nearest school and their second nearest school. These issues crop up for families coming from rural areas to local secondary schools in the towns. This is a particular issue in south Tipperary with schools in Cahir, Killenaule, Fethard, Cluain Meala, Mitchelstown in Cork and Carrick-on-Suir. For example, one family was unable to receive a bus ticket because Bus Éireann deemed that they live too close to a school in Cahir, despite the fact they live on a rural road a few kilometres away from the school with no footpath or public lighting. Their neighbour a little farther up the road was able to avail of the ticket. These rules are unworkable and unfair. I am sure the Minister of State understands that himself.

Another common issue relates to two schools being very close to each other. I will give the example of my own village of Caisleán Nua, Newcastle, versus Cahir and Clonmel. Incidentally, back in the 1970s, when that school was managed by the vocational education committee it was closed down. The people of Newcastle received a commitment at the time that children would be able to attend a school in either Cahir or Clonmel. That commitment was given and accepted in good faith. While it operated for many decades, for some reason, it is now not operating. That school in Newcastle is approximately ten miles from Cahir and nine miles from Clonmel. The difference in distance from the village to the two towns is minimal. There is always a mix of students heading to secondary school in both towns because there are good schools in Clonmel and an excellent school and community college in Cahir, namely, Coláiste Dún Iascaigh. The current scheme dictates which school students can get a bus to, however.

While the school transport scheme is an invaluable resource to families, it badly needs to be amended. The Department of education undertook a much-needed review of primary and post-primary school transport schemes in 2023. Recommendations from that review were made in 2024 to change the eligibility and distance criteria. Can the Minister of State confirm if his Department, along with Bus Éireann, have, or intend to, implement those changes and recommendations, which would greatly reduce the issues for the coming school year?

It was vital that the scheme was examined. While it took a long time for it to be examined, the review has been carried out and recommendations have been made. The recommendations must be introduced immediately. There is no point waiting until late July or early August to do so. There is a problem with timing as well. The timelines for getting tickets are so late in the day that people have to scramble for one against time. Parents and guardians are worried and it causes awful trouble for children. Some are being bullied because they cannot get on a bus. Other children ask them why they cannot get a ticket or why they cannot pay for one and the usual things that can happen among teenagers.

School transport is a great scheme, which was introduced by former Minister, Donogh O’Malley. I availed of it myself when it came out in 1969 or around that time. While it has worked well, like everything else, it needs to be tweaked now ahead of the new school term. People will be going on holidays, laethanta saoire, from now until August.

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