asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that secondary school children from the Lougher and Camp areas in south Kerry are harshly treated by CIE which tries to bring them to Tralee on the normal bus from Dingle and that if the bus is full leaving Annascaul the students are left to find their way to school and at most times have to return home; and if he will have the matter rectified.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport.
4.
The areas in question are in the Dingle post-primary school catchment area. So far as the schools transport scheme is concerned these children are entitled to free transport to Dingle or to free transport to Tralee from the catchment boundary at Camp Cross provided that spare accommodation is available on the bus serving the Tralee catchment area. Any other provision is a matter solely for CIE in the context of its normal scheduled service.
With this service it is quite a common occurrence on one day or sometimes two days a week that the children have no transport. If it is CIE's business on behalf of the Department to bring those children to school surely the Department must see that they get the service. This is serious for the children who are receiving secondary education. They are not getting the full service at the moment.
The children in these areas are in the Dingle catchment area and are entitled to free transport to Dingle or to free transport to Tralee from the catchment boundary at Camp Cross.
I am asking about the Tralee catchment area.
These children are in the Dingle catchment area.
Children from Lougher and Camp are brought to Tralee. They were provided with this service formerly and, if a bus was full, CIE sent out another bus. On one occasion the bus arrived at 11 o'clock. Will the Parliamenary Secretary see that CIE do their job?
There may be a misunderstanding between the Deputy and the Department on this matter. Our information is that these areas are in the Dingle catchment area. As I understand it, CIE have an obligation to provide an adequate service.
I am open to correction if I am wrong in what I have said, but I understand the catchment boundary is in Tralee. I am asking the Parliamentary Secretary to ensure adequate transport is provided for the children from these areas.
I assure the Deputy I will have the matter further investigated in view of what he has said.