Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for attending. I have a number of points to make. I have been in communication with the Minister of State about several bus routes in Wexford where we are looking for additional capacity on services. I acknowledge the 7,000 students who have benefited from a school bus ticket in Wexford. I will highlight, in particular, one instance where I would like a change in how we are currently operating the school bus model. It is a point that I raised in the Chamber earlier today and I have spoken to it previously. The point relates to Wexford town, the capital town of County Wexford, which has a population of 21,500. It has five secondary schools, which are above capacity at the moment. There is serious pressure and demand to accommodate secondary school students in Wexford town. As a result, a certain number of pupils who in recent years have applied for secondary school places in their local town, Wexford town, have unfortunately been ineligible to get secondary school places. They have instead been accommodated 37 km down the road in New Ross. While the pupils are happy with the school, the teachers and everything else that is happening in New Ross, they have not been able to go to schools in their local town. Due to the way the rules are written at the moment and because they are not attending their local school, they are, unfortunately, ineligible for school bus places. No bus service has been provided for these students. As a matter of simple fairness, in circumstances where students are unable to attend their local secondary schools because the Department has not been able to provide places, an accommodation should be made. We should change the school bus and transport route rules to allow for a bus to be laid on for those students to attend.

I have been in contact with representatives of Bus Éireann who have told me that because the rules are written the way they are, those students will not be eligible for a bus. The students now find themselves needing their parents to take time off work and away from other commitments to allow them to attend the school. I implore the Minister of State. I ask the Department to look at the unique circumstances, make an accommodation and roll out a pilot scheme for that particular situation. While I could highlight many other cases, the key priority for me is to represent those families and to be a voice for them to the Minister of State and to highlight their concerns.

There are proposals for another secondary school in Wexford town but that is several years away. This issue is going to continue for the next five or six years. We need action.