asked the Minister for Education if students residing more than 15 miles from a post-primary school will qualify for residential school education at public expense.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post-Primary Education Facilities.
43.
Where a pupil, who lives outside the range of school transport services, becomes a recognised pupil in a boarding school where the total fee does not exceed £120 per annum, he will be entitled to have the boarding school fee paid on his behalf. Normally, pupils who live 15 miles or more from the nearest post-primary school will qualify but there will be many areas where the nature of the routes will be such as to enable the transport service to extend beyond 15 miles without undue inconvenience to the children. In such areas the payment of boarding grants will not be necessary.
Is the Minister aware that a situation has arisen throughout the rural areas where young persons attending technical schools or secondary schools are getting free transport, while their school companions attending the same school and doing a course in commercial education are being refused access to the transport which is actually passing their doors? They have to go on foot or bicycle while their neighbours are getting free transport because they happen to be doing different subjects in the same school.
No; I am not so aware. I wonder is the Deputy referring to cases of children who have in fact completed their secondary school course and are now doing a commercial course?
No. I understand the situation is that you have children doing various courses in the technical schools and the secondary schools but their fellow students in the same schools doing a commercial course are actually being refused access to the bus. Perhaps the Minister would direct the attention of the Minister for Education to this apparent anomaly so that it can be corrected?
I will certainly do so.