Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

After the last paragraph, to insert the following paragraphs:

“recognises that: - each year the School Transport Scheme is over-subscribed, with the State turning thousands of children away from this public transport option annually;

- the Minister for Education failed to increase capacity this year alongside the announcement of the elimination of fares, resulting in an unprecedented number

of applications and thousands of children not getting a seat on their local school bus; notes: - the failure of the Government to harness this demand results in thousands of extra private car journeys to and from school each day which is totally at odds with our climate ambitions;

- that by expanding the School Transport Scheme, we can cut transport emissions, reduce dangerous traffic congestion outside schools, while also providing parents and guardians with a convenient method of transport for their children; and calls for: - an additional 10,000 extra places to be funded on the School Transport Scheme in 2023;

- capital funding to be provided for the purchase of new school buses, noting the age and quality of the current fleet of school transport buses.”