John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The difficulty arises with the dates that are laid down for payment and for applications, which run from April to July. I understand that it is after that period that children who wish to repeat their leaving certificate will want to avail of school transport. The problem that we face is a practical one. By that date, all of the buses are almost always full. By then we have allocated seats first to eligible children and then to concessionaries, though I note that it is almost always eligible children on the bus. I understand the Senator's concern, and it is an issue that should be looked at. The date at which one of these students will decide to repeat their leaving certificate falls outside of the April and July dates set down for payment and application.

I ask the Senator to let me come back to him on this issue. I will give him my word on that. I will talk to Bus Éireann and the Department. However, the difficulty does not arise from buses with spare seats passing areas by. If the Senator finds that there is a bus with spare seats passing by an area, and children who are repeating their leaving certificate are not getting those seats, I invite him to come to me and I will change that. That is a guarantee. My difficulty at present is that almost in their entirety, all of the buses are full.