asked the Minister for Education the present position concerning the manager's request for the provision of normal transport facilities for pupils of the now closed Cooley National School, Moville, County Donegal.
17.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport.
16.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the unsatisfactory transport arrangements provided for 50 per cent of the pupils of the now closed Cooley national school to Moville national school, County Donegal; and, if so, if he will provide the type of service requested by parents and the school manager.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 17 together.
The question of providing more adequate transport for these children is still under investigation. It is understood that difficulty is being experienced in securing a local contractor with a minibus which would be more suitable, having regard to the local road conditions, than the large bus at present in use.
18.
asked the Minister for Education why free transport to Dromahane national school, Mallow, County Cork for seven children in the Dromore/Dromahair area who are eligible for such service is not being provided for them.
Under the terms of the schools transport scheme, it is necessary, in order to warrant the establishment of a special service to a national school from a particular locality, that there be a minimum of ten eligible children available for transport in that locality. Since there are only seven such children in the locality in question it is not open to the Department to sanction a special service in this case.
Is nothing being done in this matter?
There is not a sufficient number of children to warrant the establishment of a service in the area. The minimum number of children required in order to establish a service in any area is ten.
Surely there are arrangements in being for smaller numbers than that.
No.
There were at one time.
These are in places where children are exceptionally far away from school but I take it that this is not the position in so far as the locality in question is concerned.
I know of children who are three miles from their school——
I am sorry. Deputy, but I cannot allow this supplementary since the question refers specifically to a school in the Mallow area and I cannot allow that matter to be made a national issue.
I was wondering whether the Parliamentary Secretary would consider changing the relevant rule.
I cannot allow the question.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not consider integrating this service with the general school service in the area or if there is an existing service would he not extend that service in order to include the seven children particularly in view of the high intelligence quotient of the area as instanced in the recent by-election?
The children have no votes.
I do not think there is a service such as the Deputy seems to have in mind with which the service being asked for could be amalgamated.
I think there is such a service.