Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will be brief. With regard to the temporary alleviation measures, Bus Éireann is breaking the Department's rules or else the rules have not been made clear. We do not know where that figure is and when concessionary is then tied into it a complete confusion is made of the argument. The temporary alleviation measures granted to some students is not being granted to others because of the capacity issues on buses and Bus Éireann is walking away from the problem, as far as I can see. We need to find out the Minister's view about the measure that she brought forward. Is it one child who qualifies or are there five or are there 55? We do not know. Nine children qualify in Ballinhassig while five do not qualify in west Cork. Why is that? I am not trying to be argumentative but I do not have the answer. What I do know is that families feel they have been abandoned.

Regarding the lack of drivers, we know the issue. People over 70 years of age are banned from driving buses by Bus Éireann. However, in the case of a private operator taking a run from one pitch to another and then to the school, the driver can be 75 years old. That is nuts. Bus Éireann can solve this issue. We need to have a root and branch review of how Bus Éireann is running the service that has been put together by the Minister. I believe her measures are not being enacted. What the Minister proposed was helpful but I do not think it is being brought forward on the ground.