asked the Minister for Education if he will provide school transport for the children of the members of the Moyard Parents' Association in Connemara to enable them to attend Clifden primary school; and if he will make a statement in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport Service.
26.
Under the regulations governing transport of pupils from closed school areas which have been in operation since 1966, transport is provided only to the school with which the closed school is amalgamated.
A transport service has accordingly been provided to convey Moyard pupils to Letterfrack national school. I regret that I am not in a position to sanction alternative arrangements under which additional transport services would be provided to take some of these pupils to the convent and monastery schools in Clifden, thus by-passing Letterfrack and Cleggan national schools which are nearer to the homes of these children.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the children are not going to any school at the moment?
That may be.
I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary if he is so aware.
I think there is some information to that effect in relation to some pupils. The position is that there are schools available to these children that are nearer to them than the schools to which they require transport.
Is it the position that there is an empty bus touring the roads around Moyard and that the pupils and the parents are refusing to use it?
I have no information with regard to that matter.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary look into this matter and let me know?
Yes.
27.
asked the Minister for Education when school transport will be made available to students (names supplied) who attend Oranmore national schools, County Galway.
Since these children live less than two miles from Lisheenkyle NS, which is their nearest suitable school, they are not eligible for free transport under the terms of the scheme. The fact that they attend Oranmore NS, which is further from their home, does not alter the basic situation that they are ineligible for free transport.
28.
asked the Minister for Education if school transport has been arranged for pupils in the Clara Vale area attending Rathdrum national school, County Wicklow.
There is a transport service for pupils in Clara Vale who are attending Rathdrum national school. At present they must walk 0.7 mile to join the service at Knockrath because the medium-sized school bus which has been operating the service since last October cannot cross Clara Bridge. I have arranged with CIE to restore a minibus to this route; the service will then revert to operating via Clara Vale.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary state when the minibus will commence operating in the area?
CIE recently took delivery of some new minibuses and they have been instructed to allocate one of them to the Rathdrum service and to restore the route to Clara Vale. It is envisaged the minibus will be restored to this route at the commencement of the next term. However, inquiries are still being made to see if it can be restored at an earlier date.
The next term is quite some time away. Surely the minibus could start operating next week?
In the last part of my reply I said inquiries are being undertaken at the moment in connection with this matter.
May I take it that my letter of 28th November, 1974, will be replied to?
I presume so. I do not have the letter here.
I am calling Question No. 29.
29.
asked the Minister for Education the present position regarding the provision of transport to Clareen national school, Birr, County Offaly, which has been under consideration for some time; and the reason for the delay in reaching a decision.
The difficulty in this case up to now has been that the number of eligible children in the area in question was not sufficient to warrant the introduction of a service. It now appears that there is a sufficient number of such children attending Clareen national school to justify a service and, if suitable arrangements can be made, a service will be introduced without undue delay.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary in a position to say what areas will be serviced?
I think it will be Derrykeel and Kilmain.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary state when the service will commence?
Quite soon.
30.
asked the Minister for Education why school transport has not been granted to two children (details supplied) attending Croghan national school, County Offaly.
The children concerned reside less than two miles from their nearest school and so are not eligible for free transport. Children who are not so eligible may however be given fare-paying facilities if there is spare room on the vehicle used after all eligible children have been catered for. It has been found possible to afford fare-paying facilities to the two children in question for the term up to Easter, when the matter will arise for review.
31.
asked the Minister for Education why a person (name supplied) in Athlone, County West-meath, is not receiving school transport from her home to Ferbane secondary school.
The post-primary transport scheme has been organised on the basis that pupils will not have more than three miles to travel, either to school or to a pick-up point on a school bus route.
Free transport has been made available to the person in question from a point 1.7 miles from her home and she is picked up at that point at 8.48 a.m. This is a reasonable standard of service and it would be impracticable to provide a better standard of service in this case.