Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, for attending to deal with this issue on behalf of the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. He will be very aware that the Minister initiated the first large-scale review of the school transport scheme since it was established in 1967 and that the report on the review, School Transport 2030, was published on 27 February. It is very ambitious. In it, the Government refers to increasing the number of students who use public school transport by 100,000 from about 161,000 at present. The number has been increasing year on year. New pilot projects are planned for this September, which is very welcome. The projects will work around the new rules that are planned.As the Minister of State is aware, at present students automatically get a school bus ticket only if they are going to the nearest school. The recommendation in this report is to remove the requirement relating to the nearest school. Obviously, it is welcome that the Minister, Deputy Foley, has accepted that.

The Minister met with a group of parents, along with Councillor Pip Breen and I, late last year and she gave very generously of her time. These parents represent students in the middle of north Wexford, in areas like Oulart, the Ballagh, Ballyedmond, Boolavogue, Ballygarrett and Monamolin. At present, these parents either have to privately arrange a bus to bring their children to school in Gorey predominantly, but also in Wexford town or Enniscorthy, or drive those distances. While Coláiste an Átha in Kilmuckridge is a good, local school, it is a small school and we are talking about 191 students. Even if all 191 students suddenly tried to be accommodated in Coláiste an Átha, it would not be possible. There are a variety of reasons that more than 190 students travel to schools in Gorey, Wexford town and Enniscorthy.

For quite some time, we have been seeking to have one of the pilots to be established this year operate from that area to service the needs of those children. The children have all registered. The portal, as the Minister of State knows, closed on 26 April. There were more than 190 students from these areas who registered with the Bus Éireann portal. They would much rather be in a situation where they can use a school bus to go to school. I hope the Minister of State will be able to outline today the plan as to how these pilots projects will be selected between now and September and whether there are any other plans with regard to implementing the findings within the School Transport 2030 report.