Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, to the House. As a neighbouring county, I wish County Cork all the best in the upcoming all–Ireland hurling final. We hold no grudges when it comes to the hurling ball.

My Commencement matter concerns the need for the Minister for Transport and Bus Éireann to review the rural school bus routes in County Kerry and extend services beyond the Listowel catchment area and into the Ballybunion and north Kerry area. An issue close to the hearts of many families in my county, especially in north Kerry, is school transport access to Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí. It is the only Irish-speaking secondary school in north Kerry and services the area from Tralee into the hinterland.

I acknowledge the positive steps taken recently by Bus Éireann. I thank it sincerely for its co-operation and hard work in recent months. I have been proud to work alongside it and I am very pleased we have secured a new school bus route from Abbeydorney and Lixnaw to allow students to attend Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí. This is a great development. I greatly welcome it, as do the parents. It is a life-changer for them and the students. It is proof that progress is possible when local needs are listened to. I thank Councillor Aoife Kennelly for her work on this matter too.

This is, however, just a start for any child who wishes to attend Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí in Tralee, the only Irish language secondary school in north Kerry. The school provides excellent education and a living connection to our national language and identity but that should extend to students across north Kerry, from places like Ballybunion, Tarbert, Moyvane, Causeway, Astee, Ballyduff and Kilmorna. Nine pupils in the Gaelscoil primary school in Listowel have been identified to attend the Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí in Tralee next year. However, there are no accessible connections to our school transport network. Therein lies the problem. The network has been extended into Lixnaw now, which is fantastic, but we need to extend it further. We need to get kids in other non-Irish speaking primary schools showing they want to attend the secondary school too.

Families are being punished for choosing the medium of Irish language education. Parents are being forced to drive a round trip of up to 25 km every day just to get their children to school. Others rely on outdated connections and long, indirect journeys that place great stress on students and their families. This is simply not good enough in 2025. No child should be denied access to education based on where they live and no parent should be put in the impossible position of choosing between their child's education and their family's daily routines. I call on the Minister for Transport and Bus Éireann to build on the progress we have made and extend the school bus routes to serve all north Kerry. We have shown that solutions are possible. We now need to apply them fairly, consistently and urgently. Let us ensure every student has a fair chance to attend Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí in Tralee. Let us support our language not just in words but through action and deliver real equality for the communities of north Kerry and for the students who want to attend the school.

I will give one practical example. The bus that leaves Listowel to go directly to the Gaelcholáiste in Tralee leaves at 8 a.m. A child - one of two siblings - who wants to get that 8 a.m. bus from Tarbert next year will have to be up at about 6.30 a.m. to get ready for school and get dropped at the bus for 8 a.m. I urgently ask the Minister of State to progress the new routes.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator from Kerry for his good wishes on the hurling. I take them very graciously. As I come from within a few miles of the County Kerry border, we know full well that it is meant with sincerity and gratitude.

I have to declare my interest in Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí. I know well that the Gaelcholáiste is an extremely well-run school under a hugely successful leadership team. There are teachers who have been there for quite a number of years. My wife has been a teacher in Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí for a long number of years. I know Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí quite well. When I was taking this Commencement matter, I was not sure if it was a conflict of interest. I wish all of the team in Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí every continued success in its amazing leadership and what it is doing there. It is an excellent school, as is all of the team working there.

The school transport scheme is a significant operation run by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. Under the current terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending the nearest post-primary school education centre. The distance is determined by the Department and Bus Éireann, the rules regarding ethos and the language. Bus Éireann has advised that it is currently assessing the applications for school transport for the 2025-26 school year. I thank Bus Éireann and the Department's officials for the amount of work they have been doing since the closing date in early June. Bus Éireann has advised that pupils from the Lixnaw area attending Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí had to travel to Abbeydorney or Kilflynn previously to access this service to school. Due to the increased numbers this year, many buses have been replaced by a large vehicle that has been put in place, as alluded to by the Senator.

The route is under procurement. This service is being rerouted to give an extension to Lixnaw and give these pupils a better level of service. These pupils are eligible, as Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí is the nearest Gaelcholáiste. Relating to the pupils living in Moyvane and also attending the Gaelcholáiste having to drive to Listowel to meet the service, I can confirm to the Senator that only two applications have been received from that area. The remote area grant will be offered to families to travel to the pickup points.

As the Senator may be aware, a minimum number of ten eligible children residing in a district locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, who have applied and paid or entered their medical card details is required before consideration may be given to the establishment or the retention of a school bus transport service. This is provided it can be done within the reasonable cost limits. Bus Éireann is assessing all applications and payments received. It is now planning for the routes and services for the 2025-26 school year. Routes may be altered or extended depending on the number and location of eligible children who are availing of the school transport for the following school year. Once routes have been finalised, Bus Éireann will assign tickets for each school transport service. Tickets will begin to issue this month. They will continue to be issued through July and August. Families who are unsuccessful in obtaining a seat will be notified via email and a refund will be issued. Applications and payments or entering of medical card details submitted after the deadline will be deemed late. A late submission of payment or medical card details may mean that a seat is unavailable, but we are keeping that under review over the next number of weeks.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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Before I call Senator Kennelly to reply, I welcome to the Public Gallery Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn's guests, who are from the Neighbourhood Management Team.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response. He mentioned the fantastic school of Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí. The one thing we want to do is make it accessible to everybody. I received a letter from the principal of Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail this morning. It states:

In September fifth and sixth class, we have the following children who will be attending the Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí:

One from Lixnaw; one from Ballylongford; one from Duagh; two from Kilmorna; one from Ballyduff; one from Tarbert; and two from Moyvane.

The nearest pickup point for many of these areas is far away.I seek an accommodation for the nine children who want to attend the Gaelcholáiste next year. I will sit down with the officials to find the nearest pick-up point to allow these kids to attend the Irish school. Parents send their children to ordinary national schools all over north Kerry, but if an opportunity arises for a pick-up point to allow their child to attend Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí, there will be more than nine children. I guarantee the Minister of State that would be the case. The sustainability of the route will not be an issue for Bus Éireann.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I would appreciate if the Senator could give me more details on the students he mentions. Both the Department and I will look at the issue to see how we can ensure the best outcome. Second level education through the medium of Irish has become extremely popular not just in Kerry but right across the country. It is something we must encourage right across the system, notwithstanding the excellence provided in Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí and throughout the country. I know the communities and areas the Senator mentions, as we are just over the border.

Senator Kennelly mentions nine students going to the Gaelscoil in Listowel. Are they going into fifth class and sixth class in September?

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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As we speak, they are in fifth class and sixth class.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I will talk to the Senator afterwards and get the detail.

Mike Kennelly (Fine Gael)
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Absolutely.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I cannot provide any commitment but we will work to see if there is any reasonable solution for these students. It is something that is important to Senator Kennelly but it is also important to us to make sure that the Gaelcholáistí are as accessible as possible into the future. I will do anything I can to support the Gaelcholáistí. That is important not just to Senator Kennelly but it is important to me as well.

Mark Duffy (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his time this afternoon in addressing the Commencement matter of Senator Kennelly.