asked the Minister for Education who is responsible for children who attend national schools and who avail themselves of school transport, between the time the schools close and the time they are collected by the school transport.
Written Answers. - School Transport.
738.
Responsibility for the welfare of pupils awaiting collection by the school transport service rests with individual boards of management. It is a matter for each board to arrange adequate supervision and insurance cover for children while they await the arrival of the school bus to take them to their homes.
739.
asked the Minister for Education if his Department will grant free transport to a family (details supplied) in County Leitrim who are attending a national school in County Leitrim.
There are three children in this family under ten years of age who are eligible for and in receipt of free transport to their nearest national school.
The children in the family who are over ten years of age are ineligible on grounds of age and distance for free transport. They may, however, be allowed concessionary fare-paying transport at a fare of £3.50 per child per term with a reduction of £1 per child when more than one child in a family is availing of this facility. Accommodation is available for them on the service on this basis and they should apply to Córas Iompair Éireann, School Transport Section, Sligo, for travel permits.
740.
asked the Minister for Education if his Department will grant fare-paying transport to a pupil (details supplied) in County Leitrim who lives more than three miles from his school; and, if not, the reason.
Where a post-primary centre has more than one post-primary school the eligibility for free school transport of pupils attending the centre is determined in relation to their distance from the recognised central point. The pupil in question lives less than three miles from the central point of the post-primary centre he attends, and accordingly does not qualify for free transport. The Deputy's question states that the distance is more than three miles. This is not factual.
However, fare-paying facilities are available on the service at a cost of £4.50 per pupil per term, or £3.50 per term where more than one child in the family is availing of fare-paying facilities. Application for such facilities should be made to the School Transport Office, CIE, Sligo.