I am 31 years of age and I am the youngest Member of this House. I was thinking back to 2009 when I did my leaving certificate. We were coming out of the height of the economic recession and some of the toughest financial times, not just this country but the world had seen. When I think about people I know who emigrated back then, they did so out of economic necessity because they were no jobs in this country. It was not just young people. Those who had been in employment for 20 or 30 years in construction, etc., h…

If it is all right, I am just trying to speak without the theatrics. We are all allowed to express different points of view. The people who have tabled this motion, quite rightly, have a point of view but those on this side of the House also have a point of view.

Unfortunately, no speakers from the Gallery are allowed, only Members, whether people put their hands up or not. The point is, without the theatrics, I am putting forward a point of view based on my experience as a young person in this country. I am someone who came out of the height of a recession in 2009. I have seen what my friends in their 20s have done throughout that period and what they are coming back to this country for now. That is important to recognise. I am not saying that everything is well and good b…

Over the past number of weeks, many Senators will have received representations from and spoken to members of the Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, ahead of next week's budget. I did that consistently with people in my own hometown of Dundalk. I met one teacher who made two points that hit home. Her name is Muireann O’Keeffe and she teaches at a school in Ravensdale in north County Louth. The two points she made relate to the pupil-teacher ratio and to the real lack of availability of mental health suppor…

To follow on from Senator Lombard, the reason we brought this matter to the attention of the House and sought a Commencement debate is to get clarity. I am a team player when it comes to my party and this Government. I am a team player because of the way I was brought up, the sports I have played and everything else. I will go out and defend to the bloody hilt, but this is one example of a policy with good intentions where we are seeing the unintended consequences of a decision we as a Government have made. It is n…

It is seven to eight thousand.

I have time and I would like to finish. The number is not 78,000 because only 38,000 children in the country are getting this school transport, not triple that. I am coming into the House not because I am frustrated but because I am upset. We all have personal stories, and no doubt the Minister has the same issue in her constituency of Kerry, of parents who are going through serious issues, be they health or financial issues or whatever. The last thing these parents need is to be worrying about a school bus ticket.…

As there is a vote in the Dáil, I ask Senator Cummins to propose the suspension of the sitting.

Is that agreed? Agreed.

Everything we are talking about today is an unintended consequence of what was a good policy. The unintended consequence is that children who received concessionary tickets for the last number of years, and eligible tickets in some cases, now do not have a seat on the bus. I know of between 50 and 60 children in County Louth from villages such as Ravensdale, Castlebellingham, Annagassan, Collon and Ardee who are all trying to get into Dundalk, Drogheda and Dunleer, but do not have tickets for those buses. The buses…

All previous eligibility criteria in normal years should go out the window because the floodgates have been opened. By allowing every child in the country to avail of free school transport, the Minister can no longer maintain the same eligibility criteria. We told every child in the country we will provide free school transport without even bothering to prepare by providing for extra buses. The demand is not unprecedented. When the Cabinet decided in June or July to provide free school transport, the Government sho…

Let us just stick to the amendments as best we can. With due respect, the Senator is giving a Second Stage speech.

Yes, we are. The point I was going to make after a very fair point from Senator Gavan is that we are on amendment No. 1. I have probably given a little bit too much latitude for people to discuss matters outside the amendments-----

If the Senator would just let me finish. I have given people a great deal of latitude. I will not do that from now on. Senator Keogan is last up, and then we will move on to new amendments. We are finishing at 3.20 p.m., so brevity is key in order for everybody to get in.

We might come back to that later matter on because we are just conscious of time. Perhaps the Minister could comment on it during his summation.

It is just that those questions do not relate to the amendment.

Excuse me. I am in the Chair. Comments will be made through the Chair at every stage.

The Minister may finish briefly.

We will discuss it with amendment No. 8.

Amendments Nos. 2 to 4, inclusive, are ruled out of order due to potential charge on the Revenue.