Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 Feb 1992

Vol. 415 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - County Cork School Transport.

Mr. Sherlock

I am satisfied beyond any doubt that there is a change in policy in the Department, hence my desire to have this matter raised in the House and to get a reply.

In Ladysbridge in 1970 a decision by the Department of Education to close down three small schools in the area was accepted on the basis that the children would be transported to Kilcreadan school. Now the Department are reneging on this agreement and consequently children of the Walsh and Davis families in the Shanavagoon-Ladysbridge area, whose neighbours are being transported to Kilcreadan, are being told that they must attend Shanagarry school which is outside their parish, and that transport there will be provided.

In the upper Gortnaskehy-Araglinn area where transport is being provided to Coolmohan national school, the Keane and Doherty families are being refused transport on the grounds that they reside in the Ballyheaphy closed school area and should be attending Ballyduff school which is six miles away. Coolmohan is three-and-a-half miles away from them.

This issue raised its head about ten years ago and the Department recognised the point that was made at the time. I am sure the Minister will find that in the files.

In Glenville, when the Chimneyfield and Knuttery national schools closed, the children were transported to Glenville, Now Norma Buckley is being refused free transport on the grounds that she should attend Burnfort national school. In all cases fare-paying facilities are being offered.

I appeal to the Minister to honour the agreement drawn up when it suited the Department to close down small schools.

According to paragraph 1.3 of the primary school transport scheme:

Where a transport service is established in place of a school which is being closed and amalgamated with in the district of the closed school are eligible for transport to the amalgamated school only. The service will be continued for as long as there are seven or more such children availing themselves of it. In general, transport from the closed school area may be given only to the school of amalgamation.

In all cases what is required and demanded is that transport be provided to the school of amalgamation.

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Mr. F. Fahey)

With regard to the Ladysbridge-Kilcreadan national school area, the children in question do not live in the Ladysbridge closed school area and are not eligible for transport to Kilcreadan where the amalgamated school is, Their eligibility must, therefore, be determined by reference to their nearest school, Shanagarry. As they reside less than two miles from that school they are not eligible for school transport to any other school.

It is incorrect to state, as Deputy Sherlock did, that the Walsh and Davis children were told that they must attend Shanagarry. It appears that some children who were in the Shanagarry school area did get transport in error to Kilcreadan on the bus servicing that school. The Shanagarry school authorities have very kindly agreed to their continuing transport to Kilcreadan but, understandably, they are not willing to extend that permission indefinitely to other pupils in the area.

Deputy Michael Ahern has made strenuous efforts lo try to reach an agreement whereby those children can be accommodated and those who have been taken off the buses and had been fare paying can be reinstated. We are in discussion in regard to that

Regarding Araglen, which is known locally as Coolmoohan, the children in question here live in the Ballyheaphy closed school area and are eligible therefore for free transport to the school with which Ballyheaphy amalgamated i.e. need to be living in the Araglen school area to be eligible for free transport to Araglen national school.

With regard to Glenville national school, the children in question from the Coome area live in the Knuttery closed school area and are eligible for free transport to Bumfort national school, the school with which Knuttery national school amalgamated. In order to be eligible for free transport to Glenville national school they would need to be living in the Chimneyfield closed school area. Chimneyfield national school amalgamated with Glenville national school.

I should emphasise that transport entitlement is determined on the basis of the shortest available walking distance to the school in question and that much confusion arises because it is assumed that parish boundaries are the determining factor. Parish boundaries are not relevant for a variety of reasons, but mainly because school transport is basically there to enable children without a means of transport to attend an accessible school regularly. Both in the School Attendance Act and for all practicable purposes, accessibility is determined by walking distance rather than parish or other boundaries such as county boundaries. It is commonplace to find schools situated well away from the geographic centre of the parish and this fact, combined with the irregular shape of parish boundaries, inevitably means that for many people their nearest local school is in a neighbouring parish. It would create a very confusing situation if any criterion except distance was used in regulating a transport scheme.

I can assure the Deputy that the decisions in the cases he quotes were in accordance with the rules for school transport, as they have been for the lifetime of the scheme. If any substantial amendment to the rules were proposed I would give proper notice and where necessary, consult with the appropriate authorities.

We are making every effort through negotiation to accommodate as many people as possible within the existing schemes in the general area.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 6 February 1992.