asked the Minister for Education if school transport will be provided for children from the Annacotty area who are attending Monaleen National School, County Limerick.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport Service.
25.
The question of the provision of free transport to school for the children of the Annacotty area was examined by my Department about a year ago. Since it was established that all the children in question lived within two miles of the nearest suitable national school these children do not qualify for free transport under the terms of the free transport scheme.
26.
asked the Minister for Education if his Department have received a letter from the three principals of the post primary schools in Cashel, County Tipperary; and if he intends to carry out suggestions for an improved school bus service in the Dundrum, Clonouty, Gouldscross and Ardmayle areas.
The letter in question was received in my Department on 15th October and the proposals therein have been examined in consultation with CIE. I am satisfied that the service in question is within the standards laid down for the operation of the free transport scheme. The proposed alterations are not being accepted because they would increase the cost of the service, would involve an earlier start each morning and would have Cashel buses going through part of Thurles catchment area.
27.
asked the Minister for Education if he will consider allowing school buses to convey children to places of recreation.
As I stated in my intervention in the debate on the Estimates for the Vote of the Minister for Education on 31st October 1973, a scheme is in preparation under which it will be possible for school authorities to hire buses at favourable rates to bring pupils to school games and other relative physical education events. There are some technical difficulties still to be considered but I am confident that they will be resolved in the very near future and that the scheme may be introduced early in the new year.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary inform me of the technical difficulties he is talking about?
They relate to the issue of authorisation by another Department in relation to the licensing of the buses and matters related to that. There is basic agreement, in principle, on the introduction of the scheme now.
Do I take it that this will be introduced shortly?
We are hoping that it will be introduced fairly shortly but I would not like to make a definite prediction.
Would this cover the transport of teams to competitive games?
It probably would, but I think we should wait until a very definite announcement is made relating to the scheme.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this scheme was under active consideration before he assumed his present responsibilities and that the technical difficulties he has spoken of were well identified when he came into office? In view of that, does he not accept that it is time some positive steps were taken in relation to this matter?
The Deputy, and the House, will appreciate that while the scheme was under active consideration during the period of office of my predecessor these difficulties will be overcome during my term.
There are no difficulties; the Parliamentary Secretary is holding the scheme back.