Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Foley. Like other speakers, I look forward to the day when all schoolchildren will be collected and we will not be having questions about concessionary tickets. I welcome the initiative that the Minister introduced here as a first step along that journey. Unfortunately, the unprecedented take-up on this scheme has resulted in children who have school transport tickets every year not getting tickets. I know one particular family whose child is now doing the leaving certificate and has had a ticket for her six years in secondary school, and this is the first year that they have not been able to get a ticket for her. Many parents are working and are under stress to keep things going. The last thing they need at the moment is to have to deal with this problem. It is estimated that 1,800 children in counties Monaghan, Cavan and Louth do not have a school bus ticket at present. I know the Minister is working hard on this issue. I look forward to being told what the plans are to address it.