Results 10,501-10,520 of 20,049 for speaker:Norma Foley

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: Again, I have answered the question in terms of the review previously. I instigated the review and know there are opportunities to do things differently within the school transport system. No one knows that better than me. I come from a rural constituency and appreciate the value of the school transport system. Interestingly, this whole debate has highlighted the value of the school...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Deputy. We are working through the review. As I stated, it is a significant body of work. People wanted extensive engagement. They wanted all voices to be heard and all views to be considered as part of the review. We have thrown the net wide and there have been 8,000 engagements with parents, 2,000 engagements with students and engagements with bus providers, bus operators...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: To confirm what I have said previously, we are in ongoing daily discussions with Bus Éireann about all opportunities and what we are doing. I do not in any way to pre-empt the Minister, Deputy McGrath, and those discussions, but I am freely admitting and confirming that this is very much part of my discussion with him. We will have to see how that unfolds, but our engagement with Bus...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I thank the Senator. It is important to say, and the Senator referenced it, that there are 124,000 children and their families benefiting from this system. It is a cost-of-living measure, which delivers a saving of up to €650. I acknowledge that concessionary tickets have always been a challenge. That is one of the reasons, though not the only one, that we are carrying out a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I acknowledge that Deputy Nolan has a particular understanding of the issues here. Capacity has been increased, specifically for those who are eligible on the basis that they meet the criteria. There has been a 21% increase in the number of tickets issued. In the Deputy's area, County Laois, the figure has increased by 31%. In every county we are seeing an increase in the number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I absolutely see the benefit of the school transport scheme. I referred to this earlier and nobody knows it better than I do given the constituency I come from. It is an integral part of the system. I also know there are opportunities to do things differently. That is the reason I instigated the review of the entire scheme. The Deputy is correct that this measure is an enormous addition...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: That is what is being done. For Ukrainian students it can be facilitated by a singular collection in most instances because they are coming from a hotel setting. We have more than 1,800 students being accommodated and we are working through. That will increase as time goes on. It could go to even greater numbers. A significant body of work has already been achieved in provision for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: Temporary alleviation has solved some of the many issues that would have come to the table heretofore. It is very much a part of the review to see what we can do. I know the benefit of this scheme. I know the benefit of waiving of fees, as the Deputy Crowe has outlined. I know the benefit of extending it to allow the maximum number of children and young people to get on a bus. That is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: In the first instance, there has been an increase of more than 20% in the number of-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I have to give the context-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: The Chairman clearly has not heard it so I need to articulate-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I need to respond in the context in which the question is asked. In the first instance, the Chairman spoke of an increase in the number of people taking to the road. I am telling him that there has been a 20% increase in the number of tickets issued in his constituency, specifically in relation to the bus-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I will give a direct answer.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: It is the bus driver's responsibility to check that every child has a ticket. If the Chairman wishes to give the details of the specific instance to which he refers-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: Would it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: Every child has to have a valid ticket to get on the bus. That is the responsibility of the bus driver to check. If there is a case where that is not happening, I ask the Chairman to provide the details.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I am saying to the Chairman-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: No. I do not know the circumstances to which the Chairman is referring. It is the responsibility of the bus driver to ensure that every child on the bus has a ticket. The Cathaoirleach has raised a very serious issue-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: -----and he has a duty to give the details to me or my officials.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Norma Foley: I have stated that it is part of the terms of reference to ensure that every child who is on the bus has a ticket.