I want to raise a few issues relating to Bus Éireann's school transport five-year procurement scheme for 2023. The information was sent out to bus operators on Friday afternoon last and they were expected to have their tenders in by Monday. Bus Éireann has given a 48-hour extension to 12 noon today, but expecting operators to be able to fill out the very intensive tender document in such a short timeframe is unacceptable. The intrusiveness of the tender document has to be looked at as well. All kinds of questions are asked of operators. School transporters are very important to our educational infrastructure and some of them are small operators. Bus Éireann should give ample time for tenders to be issued but it also needs to reconsider the detail it is looking for from these operators.

I thank the Deputy for raising this. I know how important the issue of school transport is, not least at this time of year. As it is a live tender, I am not across the detail of it, so I would prefer not to comment on it, but I will let the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, know the Deputy raised it in the Dáil today and perhaps she will be able to engage with him directly.