Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That response was completely unacceptable to me and every other public representative in Donegal. The 30 pupils in south Inishowen whose families are from rural areas and go to Buncrana secondary schools do not have seats on buses. Of the cases we have investigated, this is through no great fault of their own and instead is owing to issues with medical cards and miscommunication. It is unfair.

The Minister of State said "a further number". All but two of the 30 are eligible for school transport. Under the Department's rules, they are entitled to school transport. The Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, needs to intervene and examine this case. Of the 29 pupils in the Milford area, 21 are eligible.I understand that some of them have special needs. We cannot leave those families behind. Nine schoolchildren in Gleneely do not have school transport. That response is unacceptable and it is not in keeping with what the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, said to us last Wednesday. The Oireachtas Members who were present last Wednesday left hopeful that there might be a solution and that there could be an intervention because of the number of eligible students. The distinction between "eligible" and "concessionary" is a matter for debate because a family in a rural area may live approximately 100 m closer to a school in another town than to the school the family has traditionally gone to. For example, in this case the families have gone to the schools in Milford but they live 100 m closer to a school in Letterkenny and are being punished for that. That is the issue of "eligible" versus "concessionary". Going by the Minister of State's own rules, we have approximately 50 pupils who are eligible for school transport who are being left behind. That is unacceptable to me and to any other public representatives in Donegal who are worth their salt. I appreciate that officials from the Department of Education and Skills wrote the response the Minister of State is delivering today. I ask her to speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, and to ask him to honour the understanding we had last Wednesday. That is critical at this stage.