Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to Senator John Kelly on the death of his father. I ask the Leader the following question. When is a student not a student? It seems it is when someone reaches 18 years of age or travels on public transport. I have two issues that I ask the Leader to bring to the attention of the Ministers for Education and Skills, Social Protection and Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Children do not go to school as early as in previous years. I remember, when I was young, children were sent to school at four years of age, but now many children do not go to school until they are five years of age. There is also an extra year - transition year - so many students do not leave second level until they are 19 years of age. There is an anomaly here. The leaving certificate year is one of the most expensive years in a student's life, especially when families are under pressure and there are single parents, but they do not receive the children's allowance after a child reaches 18 years of age, even if he or she is still in full-time education.

Will the Minister contact the Ministers for Social Protection and Education and Skills about this matter?

I support Young Fine Gael's Fair Fares campaign. Those aged under 16 years are allowed to travel on public transport as students but if one is aged between 16 and 18 years, one is charged the adult fare. This costs these students approximately €312 more per year to travel on public transport. When they turn 18 years and are attending a third level institution, they can obtain a student card and are entitled to travel as students. There is an anomaly in respect of those aged between 16 and 18 years. Will the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport examine this issue because it is costing families a great deal of money for school transport and so on? It needs to be addressed. A student in full-time secondary education should be considered to be a student for the duration of his or her schooling for the purposes of public transport.