In light of the Government's haphazard approach to addressing back-to-school costs for families, like Deputy Niamh Smyth, I wish to raise the issue of school buses. I have been contacted by a family whose youngest daughter has been deemed ineligible for school transport under the medical card. She, like her siblings before her, is due to go to school in Thurles. Her house is located 1 km further away from Thurles than it is from Cashel. In the past, the family applied to the section of the Department that deals with school bus services and got the decision overturned for the girl's three siblings. The criteria have been changed this year, however. The family has now been told it will have to pay €350 if the girl goes to school in Thurles, while her brother gets to take the bus there every day. The family is afraid that if it decides to go for a quiet life, goes along with the waiver this year and uses the Thurles service, it could be back to square one next year and face a €350 bill. Can the Minister talk some sense to the Department in this case, particularly in light of the family's previous eligibility? Will families that use the waiver and go to the school most accessible to them this year face bills or further ongoing disputes again next summer?

The Department of Education provides supports in terms of transport for individual children. There are grants available. The Department spends €289 million a year transporting more than 120,000 children.

Of those, about 15,500 have special educational needs. If there is a specific representation the Deputy wishes to make, I can pass it on to the Minister, Deputy Foley, in the Department.