asked the Minister for Education if he will arrange for a scheme of free transport from the Knocknaboul area of County Kerry to Ballydesmond national school, County Cork.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport.
15.
In order to warrant the establishment of a transport service to a national school for children under three miles from that school it is necessary under the general scheme of free transport to have at least ten eligible children residing in the same locality. On investigation, it was found that this condition was not fulfilled in the case of the Knocknaboul locality.
16.
asked the Minister for Education if it is proposed to introduce free transport for school children living in the Dublin area.
The fares of children using bus and train services to travel to school in Dublin and other cities are kept at a very low level by means of a special subsidy which the Department pay to CIE.
The underlying principle in providing free transport to schools is to cater for pupils who have excessive distances to travel to the nearest suitable school. Having regard to the number of schools available in the Dublin area, and the availability of public scheduled transport services I am satisfied that schoolgoing children in this area, and indeed in other urban areas, have reasonable means of getting to their nearest suitable school.
Exceptional arrangements are made, however, to meet exceptional circumstances, for example, handicapped children travelling to special schools, temporary shortages of school accommodation, et cetera.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that it is not always possible for children to be accommodated in the nearest suitable school and that, consequently, they must travel long distances to other schools? This is common especially where there are housing estates at an early stage of development. Further, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that very often, because of extra curricular activities, such as sports, which prevent them from travelling during the specified hours, children cannot avail of the reduced fares? It seems to me that there is discrimination against Dublin children in this matter and I would like the Parliamentary Secretary to have another look at it.
Regarding the Deputy's first supplementary, free transport to and from certain city schools is available to children from the Ballyfermot, Finglas and Tallaght districts. These are children for whom accommodation is not available in their local schools. Regarding any problems that may arise because of extra curricular activities, I can assure the Deputy that I would be very happy to look into this matter and if he has any particular cases that he would like to bring to my notice, I would be grateful to him for doing so. I would be anxious that there should not be any discrimination against Dublin children in this regard.
Apart from the question of free transport, does the Parliamentary Secretary have discussions from time to time with the CIE authorities regarding the availability to schoolchildren of ordinary bus routes and schedules?
If particular cases are brought to my notice, I will take them up with CIE.
To mention one case in my constituency, the Clontarf railway station has been closed for some time but there is a suggestion that it would be very helpful to a number of schools if this station were to be re-opened. Will the Parliamentary Secretary take up that matter with CIE?
I will, if I can get more particulars. Perhaps other Deputies concerned could let me have further particulars in this regard.
Has the Parliamentary Secretary any influence with CIE which would result in having a bus route extended so as to take children to and from school because——
(Interruptions)
Order.
At least I am making an inquiry regarding my constituency. Deputy Haughey was speaking about a place outside his constituency.
If Deputy Belton brings any particular case to my notice I shall take it up with CIE.
The Parliamentary Secretary has said that children from Ballyfermot can avail of free transport but if he checks the files, he will find a letter from me in which the Minister or the Parliamentary Secretary of the day said that this could not be arranged.
I am not responsible for the replies given by my predecessors. All I can say is that the information available to me is that some children are availing of free transport to centre-city schools because of the inadequacy of school accommodation in their areas.
17.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that the parents of children attending Annaghdawn national school. County Galway are dissatisfied with the transport arrangements operated at present which necessitate an hour's delay between school closing time at 3 p.m. and the bus pick-up time at 4 p.m.; and if he intends to make any improvements in this arrangement.
My information is that pupils from this school wait half an hour, not an hour in the evening. Waiting times of similar duration occur at many schools where the bus, as in this case, serves more than one school or makes more than one journey. Due to the high cost involved it would not be possible to make other arrangements. It might be feasible, however, to change the school opening time so that the school day would not end until 3.30 p.m. This would be a matter for the manager, staff and parents.
That reply gives the impression that my information is incorrect. The information which enabled me to table the question was supplied to me by a parent who was speaking on behalf of the parents of all the children in the school and I would accept that his practical knowledge of the length of time that children must wait ouside the school for a bus would be more accurate than the estimated time supplied to the Parliamentary Secretary.
The Deputy is engaging in an argument rather than asking a question.
I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to have another look at this matter.
I can assure the Deputy that when this matter was brought to my notice I asked precisely the same question as he has asked. The matter was cross-checked by my inspectors, acting on my request, and they satisfied me that the waiting time is half an hour. It may have happened on one or two occasions, because of hitches that nobody could foresee or avoid, that the waiting time was an hour. I do not know whether that happened but I have been assured that the average waiting time is as I have indicated.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary suggesting that the information given to me by the parents is not correct?
I have no wish to doubt the veracity of the statement made in so far as it may have happened on one or two occasions that the waiting time was one hour but the reliable information available to me is that the average time is half an hour.
That is contrary to what the parents have told me.
I am calling Question No. 18 and the Chair must be obeyed in these matters.