Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the next couple of days, well over 1,000 politicians and political delegates will arrive in Dublin for the congress of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe, the political family to which my party, Fianna Fáil, belongs. I am sure the Acting Leader will join me in welcoming the delegates and I am sure they will have a good time and a very productive congress in Dublin. Our affiliation with European political parties is important, especially given Ireland's continued desire to be at the heart of the European project.

I also ask that the House have statements on school transport. The Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, has initiated a review of the school transport programme. It would be useful before we rise for the summer to invite the Minister to the House to outline the progress made on school transport, which becomes a challenge every summer, particularly in rural areas. The Minister has very much committed to reforming the scheme and it would be useful to have her before the House. We should facilitate as many children as possible to use public transport to get to school, first, because it would make it easier for parents and put less pressure on roads and, second, for environmental reasons.