CORK East Labour TD Seán Sherlock has slammed the government's decision to proceed with an increase in the cost of school transport

The school bus service for secondary school students is to increase in cost from €168 for junior cycle children and €234 for senior cycle children, to a flat €300 for each student from September.

"This is another major blow for hard pressed parents many of whom will already struggle this year to provide the basics like school uniforms and books. We are in the middle of a recession and people can ill afford these extra costs," said Deputy Sherlock.

"While the department will argue that it has been a number of years since they have increased ticket costs the answer is not to introduce a 50% hike overnight. This will only serve to put people back in their cars driving their kids to school which is flies in the face of Green party policy. The Minister seriously needs to rethink this decision which in my mind is a tax on those living in rural areas," he added.