James Bannon (Fine Gael)

I support the call to invite the Minister for Transport to the House to debate the condition of the school bus fleet, particularly in rural areas. Much is expected of the system but many of the buses operating throughout rural Ireland are in a very poor condition. A child recently told me that pupils travel to school each morning in bone-shakers. Some pupils must leave their homes at 7 a.m. to catch school buses. It is important that this issue be debated and that we would bring the school bus fleet to an acceptable standard. The system is fairly satisfactory in cities and major towns but rural areas seem to be neglected.

I support my colleague, Senator Feighan, with regard to his call for a debate on obesity. Across Europe, more than 300,000 children are overweight or suffering from obesity and this figure is rising by approximately 10,000 per year. Serious health problems will result if the problem is not addressed. A debate in the House is warranted.