Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)

We are all aware that it is there because we all use it. However, what parents and public representatives need are results. We need a good communication channel and we need Bus Éireann to start replying to those emails. We need accountability in a system that works. It is simply not acceptable that elected representatives, who are trying to resolve issues for their constituents, are left for weeks without a basic response. It is not good governance, it is not transparency and it is certainly not respect for the public.

Regarding school transport, the examples raised today from Fingal west, Kildare town and Rathcoole are not isolated. They are symptomatic of a wider systemic failure in planning and communication between the Department and Bus Éireann. Working families are being punished because of delays and poor planning. Parents are driving long distances before and after work because no transport is available. Children are missing out on education simply because we cannot match capacity to need. People do not want excuses; they want solutions. They want a transport system that is responsive, fair and child-centred. I urge the Government to take immediate steps to overhaul the communications process with Bus Éireann, ensure direct accountability and provide the resources needed to meet the demand in the communities.

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