Minister for Education Norma Foley has said she is in discussions to see if additional funding can be secured in the Budget to provide more pupils with free school transport.
Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time, Minister Foley was responding to thousands of outstanding applications for school bus places for children who do not meet Department of Education criteria for school transport and are reliant on concessionary tickets.
"I am in discussions specifically for those who find themselves outside the loop, who did not meet the criteria and who are concessionary, to see if there is scope from the Department of Public Expenditure if we can get additional funding perhaps to meet that particular cohort," Minister Foley said.
She said there has been a 21% increase since last year in the numbers availing of the free school transport system, with 124,000 now using it.
The increase in capacity followed discussions held with Bus Éireann on how best to benefit families during this cost of living crisis, she said.
Minister Foley rejected the suggestion it was not delivering on capacity but admitted there are considerable stresses across many sectors, including transport, in terms of resources.
"We have met the capacity for those eligible for the scheme," she said.
She said the the difficulty is in areas where there is already full capacity on these buses.
The Minister said there is a need for a root and branch review of the system and that has been initiated.
It involves engagement with thousands of parents, bus providers and other groups and it is nearing completion. She said the review will lead to new recommendations.
Speaking on the same programme, Labour party spokesperson on Education, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin accused the minister of "firefighting".
He said he is aware of emails being sent to parents to not present their children at buses who previously had a concessionary ticket for the service.
He said it is "no comfort" to parents to hear there may be a solution in a few weeks as they need the service now.
