Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Jun 1994

Vol. 444 No. 3

Written Answers. - Supervision on Special School Buses.

Ivan Yates

Question:

120 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Education her views on whether, for all special schools, there should be helpers on buses along with the driver to supervise and control the children so as to avoid serious injury and other incidents; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I can assure the Deputy that I would be most concerned to avoid any situation where children with disabilities being transported to special schools would be put at risk.

Under present arrangements, children attending special schools are generally transported on special services which have been put in place for this purpose. The need for escorts on special services will vary depending on the circumstances of the children involved. There is no actual prohibition on the use of escorts where they can be accommodated and, in some cases, child care assistants attached to special schools already act as escorts as part of their duties. A parent or other adult may also be allowed to travel with a child where a place is available on the service.

In the case of children attending the special schools for visual impairment, escorts have been provided by the National Council for the Blind for a number of years. These escorts accompany children travelling to and from home for holiday periods and their transport costs are funded by my Department.

As the Deputy may be aware, I announced in the 1994 Education Budget that I would be allocating the sum of £100,000 to support the provision of escorts on certain school transport services for children with a disability. My Department is working out the practical details of this proposal at the present time.