Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

While this may seem a parochial issue, it is relevant to other parts of the country. A few weeks ago students in Ramelton, County Donegal, protested at bus overcrowding. They considered that a basic human right had been removed from them. Their protest involved them walking in the rain from Ramelton to and from two schools in Milford. In this instance students decided that their educational entitlements were not respected and they decided to protest. There are few avenues open to them to have their concerns addressed in County Donegal and as they considered they were getting nowhere, they decided to protest.

While this may be a parochial issue, it impacts on the rest of the country. It can often arise that an extra 20 or 30 students may need to use the school bus service. This has insurance and safety implications. While I am disappointed the Minister for Transport is not present, I have no doubt the Minister of State will be a competent replacement.