Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. Many of the relevant issues have been covered, but a number have not. The minimum number of pupils required to retain a bus service is being raised from seven to ten, which will create a serious problem. Would it be possible to amalgamate a couple of rural school runs to overcome that problem? Not many children may avail of school bus routes in rural Ireland but it is vital to retain such services. In my area, a school bus service has been operating for 40 years.

It is proposed to increase the charge from €50 to €200 outside the two mile radius, yet the bus will still be running. That means that some parents will have to drive children to school, although the bus will still be operating. It does not make much sense to have a school bus service that does not carry a full load.