Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 11: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will ensure that all buses in the school transport system carry a list of the school children who have been issued with tickets to travel on the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27559/05]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I have been advised by Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, that listings of pupils who have been issued with tickets for the current term will be issued to bus operators in mid-October. Such an arrangement is not possible in the case of pupils who avail of scheduled public transport services.

The issue of listings at an earlier date is not possible due to the number of late applications and late payments received in school transport offices throughout the country. It would be of little benefit issuing such lists until Bus Éireann is satisfied that the vast bulk of tickets have been issued and that the listing represents a true reflection of all pupils who are authorised to travel.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I take the point made by the Minister of State. It is obvious that lessons have been learned from what happened last week and the manner in which the system has operated this year. The Minister of State referred to timescales in an earlier reply. Will the Minister of State give serious consideration to a reply deadline as one means of resolving this matter? This could be one way of resolving the matter but it would need to be publicised so that people were aware of the regulations and did not lose out.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I referred to this matter in my reply to Priority Question No. 5. One of the reasons for the delay in the issuing of a list is that not all of those eligible for transport have applied and paid for that transport. The use of an early reply system could be one solution and this is under consideration. I am in discussion with Bus Éireann to examine these operational difficulties.