Vol. 412 No. 1
152 Tomás Mac Giolla asked the Minister for Education the steps she intends to take to assist the parents of children in Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10 who must bus 1,200 children to six different schools each day at their own cost.
Following a meeting I had with parents of children of the Cherry Orchard area a wish was expressed for the provision of a new primary school specifically to serve the Cherry Orchard area.
Arising from this I arranged for officials from my Department to meet the management of the existing primary schools serving the area. I understand from this meeting that of the 1,400 primary school children in Cherry Orchard, 1,300 attend schools in Ballyfermot. I understand that all of the schools in Ballyfermot indicated that they currently have spare capacity and would be in a position to facilitate all of the children from Cherry Orchard.
There is no provision under the scheme which would allow for the introduction of a special subsidised transport arrangement for the children in question.
153 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a need for school transport to be provided to bring children from the Ballyogan Estate, Carrickmines, County Dublin to schools in Dundrum and Ballinteer, many of whom are already attending these schools as the local national school in Sandyford is unable to cope with the numbers; if she will agree to provide such transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The general position is that the children in question live within two miles of their nearest national school in Sandyford where unused accommodation is currently available and are not, therefore, eligible for free transport to other schools.
However, I am keeping the needs of the area under review.
