Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are looking at more than 60 kids who could potentially go to a special school in west Cork. Unfortunately, the majority of them are travelling more than two hours in a car or bus. Some of them are travelling more than four hours in a car or bus. It just does not work for these families, these kids and these communities. The need for the geography element to be taken into consideration is huge. If we just consider population, it is always going to work against us. Geographical impediments are our biggest issue. I firmly believe we need to have a round-table discussion. We need to bring together the Minister, maybe a trustee and the actual groups to hammer out a project to make sure these children have the ability to go to school in an appropriate manner. Two hours each way on a bus is not appropriate. I welcome the Minister of State's comments, particularly those at the end of his speech. The geographical impediment of what we are seeing at the moment is literally killing the family environment, and destroying any social fabric these poor kids have.