asked the Minister for Education if he proposes to remove the present restriction so that a child, who lives less than the present free travel qualification distance of three miles from school, will be given transport free.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers (Resumed). - School Transport.
106.
The scheme of free transport was introduced to ensure that a pupil who resided a long distance from school would not by that fact be deprived of education. A distance of three miles was considered reasonable when the necessary regulations were being framed. I feel that these regulations are equitable and I do not propose to make any alteration in them.
107.
andMr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that school transport vehicles are in many cases throughout the country carrying numbers well below the full complement of passengers while at the same time children who do not qualify under present regulations but whose conveyance would entail no extra charge or inconvenience, are being passed by en route to school; and if he will have the regulations amended to include these, especially where they are borderline cases.
Regulations such as those governing school transport must be of general application. To depart from them in individual cases would simply create a situation in which they could no longer be operated. Furthermore, there are very few areas in which school transport vehicles are underloaded to the extent stated by the Deputies. However, where spare seats are available, pupils living less than the minimum distance from the nearest school may be given transport as farepaying passengers to that school.