Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and I acknowledge his commitment to this project, which is especially important in rural Ireland. The school transport service for our primary and post-primary students has worked well since 1968. It is important that we keep the service going and do our best to provide the service, in many ways in greater amounts and in key areas.

There have been significant changes to the scheme, particularly in 2011 and 2012. Those changes are the key issues that I come across as a public representative. The change in the minimum requirement from seven eligible children to ten eligible children is a huge issue that I come across in most of the rural schools in my part of the world. The concessionary basis is another issue but the eligibility requirement for ten children for buses to small rural schools is an issue. Those changes to the legislation in 2011 and 2012 had a knock-on effect. In so many ways that is the key and the nub of it for me in my part of the world. I am talking about schools with three or four teachers and 70 or 80 students. The change in eligibility requirements is a huge issue for them. In time I would like us to look at that legislation again. I realise the Minister of State is tied by that legislation, but the eligibility requirement increase from seven to ten children is a very high requirement at the moment.

Other Senators have spoken of the costs. It is far from free education; €650 in July is a significant figure and it is a burden on families. Have the Department or Bus Éireann ever looked at the possibility of a stage payment process for the €650? Paying it up-front at the end of July is a fair amount to ask of people. Are we going to look at a process whereby that €650 could be paid on a monthly or a quarterly basis? Perhaps this process is happening at the moment but I have not been made aware of it. Perhaps the Minister of State will clarify this and tell us his views on the €650 payment.