asked the Minister for Education if he will agree to provide a school bus service for the children of Arthur Griffith Park, Lucan, County Dublin attending the local primary school, in view of the distance of the school from their homes.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Bus Service.
69.
Plans are being made to build new schools in Dodsboro' and these will cater, inter alia, for children from the Arthur Griffith Park estate. In the meantime, there are over 100 children of primary school age from this estate attending the primary schools in Lucan, where there is accommodation for them.
In the normal way these children could travel by CIE scheduled service but the link road to the estate is not yet finished and CIE are not prepared to provide the normal city service until it is finished and can take double-decker buses. In the meantime, as a temporary measure, the Department are prepared to allow the provision of a special school bus at the same cost to the parents as an ordinary scheduled service.
As the Parliamentary Secretary has gone as far as providing a bus service, would he consider providing a free school bus service for the children?
The answer is "no", and the Deputy knows the reason.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say when the schools at Dodsboro' will be ready?
I do not have information on the situation in relation to the building of the schools at Dodsboro' but I take it that the preparatory work is proceeding with due speed.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary state when the bus service will be provided for the children?
The Department have merely indicated their readiness to make this provision. The matter is now being discussed by the parents and we cannot anticipate initiation of the service until the parents have considered the matter.
70.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the hardship caused to Dublin families with schoolgoing children, arising from the recent steep rise in bus fares; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I can appreciate that the recent increase in bus fares for school children is a matter of concern for parents. However, the Department of Education are paying a subsidy of £350,000 per annum to CIE in order to keep the fares of schoolgoing children, who are not eligible for free transport, at a reasonable level.
May I suggest to the Parliamentary Secretary that in the matter of fares for children those people living in Dublin have been penalised? Can the Parliamentary Secretary state why the increase applies only to the Dublin area?
I do not accept that the people in Dublin are being penalised. There is a very high concentration of schools in Dublin and most children in that area are within three miles of a secondary school. It is only children in country areas who are not within three miles of a secondary school who are entitled to free transport. What is being done in Dublin is that the children are travelling on scheduled services regardless of whether they are going to the nearest school— in fact, they could travel right across the city—and are getting a subsidy in relation to the fare. This is not available in the country areas, except where there is a special scheduled service.
The reason I am questioning the Parliamentary Secretary is that the fares have increased. Can he state the reasons?
I take it that the cost to CIE of providing the service has increased during the year and this is the reason for the increase in fares.
Why do the Government not increase the subsidy?
Because we think that the money that would be involved could be better used in other areas of education.
The Government are penalising the Dublin children.
I do not agree.
Would the Minister not agree that the increase in fares for Dublin children is in the region of 100 per cent and that this increase has not applied to rural areas? It looks as if the entire operation of the free bus scheme is discriminating against Dublin children.
I disagree with both parts of the Deputy's statement. In fact, the increase of 100 per cent is only in the case of fares that previously were one penny—they have now been increased to two pence. Above that level the increases have been substantially less; the increase is as low as 25 per cent.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that where there is free transport in one area and where there is a clear increase in fares in another area with no increase in subsidy, the parents of the children have an additional burden?
There has been an increase in fares and I agree this is a matter of concern to parents. However, there has also been an increase in the cost of providing the service.
The Parliamentary Secretary at least endeavoured to reveal one aspect of the matter, namely, that there should be weekly or monthly fares available for children. This would be of considerable benefit to the parents.
This is a matter for CIE. Speaking from recollection, I understand they have good reasons why they cannot do this in relation to scheduled services. That is not a matter over which the Department have any direct control.
Will the Minister accept that CIE did an exceptionally good job in introducing the free bus service?
They did not.
They are not doing it now but they did when we were over there.
They did not then either.
An Leas-Cheann Chomhairle
Question No. 71.