John McGahon (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

All previous eligibility criteria in normal years should go out the window because the floodgates have been opened. By allowing every child in the country to avail of free school transport, the Minister can no longer maintain the same eligibility criteria. We told every child in the country we will provide free school transport without even bothering to prepare by providing for extra buses.

The demand is not unprecedented. When the Cabinet decided in June or July to provide free school transport, the Government should have said we had better get more bus drivers and buses before proceeding to give free school transport. That is clear and obvious. We cannot apply the same rules and eligibility criteria. We cannot give free school transport to everyone in the country and then say we are sorry but we do not have enough buses. What is the plan?