Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)

The Minister of State was lucky to get it in both schools. I did not get it in national school, but I cycled to Mount Melleray that year to do the entrance exam. They did not take in any students that year. They had the place closed. I went on the bus to St. Joseph's in Cahir. I too thank the bus drivers, many of whom have gone to their heavenly reward. I also thank the contractors who give an excellent service to this day. The tweaking is there to do with the over-70s. I have seen people here and I have been up on my feet ten times in the past ten years to try to get this over-70s disqualification changed. If a driver is fit and able and medically certified he should be able to bring the children to school. He is allowed come to school at 10 o'clock to bring them off to a match or anything else. It is nonsensical. The RSA has too much say on this. The Minister should trial a statutory instrument to clear this because the contractors cannot get drivers and it is age discrimination against the elderly. Early decisions are vital, as the Minister of State said, from 15 August until October though the children should be out in early June. Safe pick-up locations are important. For example, the Clogheen to Mitchelstown school bus does not come as far as the village of Clogheen - some call it a town - forcing parents to drive to Carrigmore cross halfway between Clogheen and Ballyporeen, a junction on a busy rural road, for pick-up. This is surely not best practice for road safety, particularly in the dark winter mornings and evenings. In the interests of safety some parents send their kids to route 245 Clonmel to Cork public bus stops. It is at the village at a similar time every morning to the public bus. This is only one example, but there are many. The free school bus tickets were introduced recently as a cost-of-living measure due to the downturn in the economy. They were hugely appreciated but they had many knock-on effects that were not anticipated with more people using the buses. It needs to be tweaked. I know the Minister of State is doing his best. He understands it himself and was a recipient of it in the early stages when it came out. I would appreciate if the move could be made. I know the pilot schemes are welcome, but we need more than pilot schemes.

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