asked the Minister for Education if he will arrange for the provision of school transport to Presentation Convent national school, Kildare for a six-year-old girl (details supplied) as other members of her family, in exactly similar circumstances, enjoyed this facility in former years.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport Service.
9.
The nearest suitable school to this child's home is Milltown NS. She is not, therefore, eligible for free transport to Presentation Convent NS, Kildare.
This transport service has been rerouted since 1968—the last date on which the pupil's sisters had the benefit of it—due to changes in the locations of the eligible children now availing themselves of it.
I am sure the Parliamentary Secretary, with responsibility for sport, must appreciate that this area is quite near the Curragh race-course. He must have availed of a photo-finish camera to decide to which school the child was nearer.
A question, Deputy, please.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that officials in his Department are now approaching the question of school transport with a penny-pinching, cheese-pairing mentality, and that the idea is to deny a facility rather than provide transport for children? I did not quite catch the Parliamentary Secretary's final reply; did he say that the children had changed their residence?
No.
Their house is in the same place; so is Milltown school and so is the Presentation Convent in Kildare.
The Deputy is embarking on a speech.
I would say to the Parliamentary Secretary that this——
That would not be in order.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary inferring that the administration of this system was abused under a previous administration? Why is it being changed now when he is in a position to implement it?
The position is that there is now a different set of eligible children travelling to this school than was travelling originally and the bus is following a different route. In accordance with the measurements which have been carried out—and of which I have no reason to doubt the veracity—this child is nearer to Milltown national school than to the Presentation national school in Kildare. I would not be empowered to change the route at present operating for those who are eligible in order to facilitate a child who is not basically eligible on the basis of those mileages. The problem is that the route was changed and I am not in a position to go back on that now because the child in question, on the basis of the mileages I have available to me, is not eligible.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary clarify for me whether the limitations of the two miles and three miles laid down in the regulations governing school transport apply to the route decided on by CIE, or apply to the normal roadway leading from the child's house to the school? The Parliamentary Secretary seems to imply that, because the route was changed, a different distance now obtains.
No, that is not what I am saying. Originally, in 1968, this bus going to the Presentation school in Kildare passed very close to the residence of the children in question. It is now following a different route because the distribution of eligible children is different. What Deputy Power asks me to do is to have the bus travel the old route, perhaps solely in order to facilitate the children he has in mind whom, as I have said—on the basis of mileage— are not basically eligible. If the bus was passing by their door, as it was at that time, there would not be the same problem. But I cannot make an extension solely for the benefit of children who are not eligible.
I am a little puzzled because this is the first time that a route has been mentioned. I would refer the Parliamentary Secretary to his letter of the 8th November which made no mention whatsoever of the route being changed. The principal reasons given were ones of mileage, and the nearness of one school to the pupil's residence rather than the other.
I am sure that is quite possible but the facts are as indicated in my reply to the question.
10.
asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in commencing the operation of the school transport service to Goggins Hill national school, County Cork; and when it is hoped to commence this service.
A new transport service to operate from the eastern side of Goggins Hill national school was sanctioned by the Department on 26th August, 1974. CIE were, however, unable to secure a suitable contractor for the purpose and the provision of the service was held up. The service will be provided as soon as a contractor can be obtained.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary tell me how many contractors there were and why they were reckoned to be unsuitable?
That is not a matter on which I have specific information. I understand CIE made fairly full inquiries with a view to getting a contractor and were not successful. It is for them to contract with the contractors. Therefore they are the people who decide whether or not a particular contractor is suitable, not the Department of Education. I am not able to give the Deputy the information he is seeking. However I will get in touch with CIE again and ask them to make renewed efforts to get a contractor. I hope something can be done reasonably soon about this case.
How many eligible school children are awaiting school transport? Would the Parliamentary Secretary not agree with me that the Department of Education are discriminating against these eligible children by not providing the transport which I tell him is available in the area?
The answer to the first part of the question is "12" and the answer to the second part is "no".