Vol. 435 No. 10
173 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if, with reference to the free school transport scheme in urban areas where there is no direct bus route to the nearest suitable school, a subsidy, rather than bus tickets, will be granted towards the cost of alternative bus hire in the interests of the safety of children and the reduction of the time necessary for travel to and from school.
The school transport scheme was basically designed to cater for children in rural areas, who, if living a long distance from school, might have difficulty in attending regularly. In urban areas, the nearest school is rarely more than two miles from a pupil's home, and the provision of transport, is normally necessary.
Children in urban areas, whose parents wish them to attend a school under Protestant management, an all-Irish school or a multi-denominational school, may be issued with bus tickets, provided that they otherwise satisfy the conditions of the school transport scheme, on both age and distance grounds.
There is no provision available to me for subsidising the operation of private school bus services in urban areas.
