Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)

I would have to conduct a survey because I do not know how many students are affected. It was just one constituent and one mother who came to me about the matter.

Banteer has no bus service at all. The earliest train from Banteer to Cork Kent Station on a Monday morning is at 8.25 a.m., which means that students cannot make their 9 a.m. class because the train only arrives at Cork Kent Station just after 9 o'clock.

On the ministerial response, I know the rail service is not entirely the brief of the Minister of State but what we saying to students right now is that they cannot use their Leap card because that option does not extend to Banteer or Millstreet. Young students and people who have a Leap card cannot use their card to pay for travel between Millstreet and Cork Kent or Banteer and Cork Kent. They can only use their Leap card from Mallow. Essentially we are saying people cannot use their Leap card and, equally, there is no improvement to the service that only leaves Banteer at 8.25 a.m.