asked the Minister for Education if before the commencement of the next school year he will have removed the most annoying anomalies with regard to the free transport scheme to national schools e.g. the fact that no free transport is available for the child who is ten years and one week old unless that child is over three miles from the school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport.
41.
The qualifying conditions laid down for transport to national schools are related to minimum distances and to minimum ages. These conditions are straightforward and I do not accept that they are in any way anomalous. Anomalies would arise only if we sought to depart from them.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that a situation that permits a school bus which is only half-full to pass on the way children who live 1¾ miles away from the school is utter nonsense? The children very often have to walk this distance in cold, wet weather and surely the situation I have described should not be allowed to occur?
The Deputy will appreciate that in a matter of this kind one has to introduce regulations and standards for the efficient functioning of the scheme. However, I should like to remind the Deputy that, if there is space available in the bus and if the hardship cases he mentioned exist, facilities may be made available to accommodate pupils as fare-paying passengers.
The free transport is a myth?
No, but I am sure the Deputy is well aware of the actual regulations. It was not intended to provide free transport for every child going to school and the Deputy knows this quite well.
Perhaps the Parliamentary Secretary would have a word with the Minister for Education before the next school year commences and try to ensure that commonsense prevails.
We are endeavouring to work on this all the time.
42.
andMr. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education whether he has received a resolution from Bantry Town Commissioners relating to the hardship confronting many parents who have to pay bus fares for children travelling to Bantry primary school; and if he will consider the claim made and meet a deputation so that the case can be put to him personally.
There is no record of any such resolution having been received in my Department. I feel I should state in relation thereto, however, that in the case of children who are not eligible for free school transport the fares charged are a matter for CIE as the statutory transport authority.
I take it from the Parliamentary Secretary's reply that he did not get a copy of a resolution from Bantry Town Commissioners? If that assumption is correct, he could not, therefore, be in a position to reply.