Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 Feb 1995

Vol. 448 No. 8

Adjournment Debate. - School Transport.

Mr. Molloy

I thank the Minister for taking this question. I regret that the matter should have to be brought to the Minister's attention or that an appeal has had to be made to the Minister. The Minister has probably been provided with a prepared reply but I hope she will have an open mind to what I have to say.

There are 71 pupils travelling on the school bus transport service from St. Kieran's comprehensive school in Carraroe to the Lettermore-Lettermullen area of the islands. On Mondays and Fridays the school closes at 3.5 p.m. and the bus does not arrive at the school until 4.15 p.m. — approximately an hour and 20 minutes later and if the bus is delayed it may be even later. The pupils are then transported to the Lettermore-Lettermullen area and the last stop is at Tír an Fhia from where some pupils have to walk a further two miles. A number of them do not get home until 6 p.m. Two years ago the designated school bus was taken off the route and CIE substituted a scheduled service which leaves Galway at 3.15 p.m. and arrives at different times in Carraroe.

The school is closed by the time the bus leaves Galway and this has been done for the convenience of CIE. The pupils spend one hour and 20 minutes hanging around Carraroe — we must remember that the school building closes at 3.45 p.m., the teachers all go home and pupils are left without supervision which makes parents very anxious and they feel they are being treated very badly by the Department. The vocational education committee operates the service for the Department and its chief executive officer, Conor Morris is trying to be of assistance.

The ultimate decision must be made by the Department. It has claimed that a satisfactory service exists but I appeal to the Minister to judge whether she considers it appropriate that on two days per week this should be allowed happen. In winter and wet weather it is cruel to leave the children hanging around and getting home so late from school all because of some administrative arrangement. It would be ideal to go back to the previous position and hire a special school bus to bring the children home in the evening instead of CIE linking it up to a scheduled service.

I appeal to the Minister to consider the position. There are 71 pupils involved. I have attended meetings with the parents who have signed a petition about this. There has been a problem with the service to Lettermore-Lettermullen from the comprehensive school but the most recent problem arose two years ago when the special school bus was taken off to suit the private bus operator. I appeal to the Minister to have an open mind about the matter and to consider instructing CIE to enter into a contract with a local bus owner to collect the children from the school at 3.15 p.m. and have them home at a reasonable hour. She should end the CIE system of linking them into the scheduled service but if the Department or CIE insist on operating this system CIE should be asked to change the time the scheduled bus leaves Galway to 2 p.m.

It is a reasonable case. The parents are upset and frustrated at the lack of concern and reaction from the Department and its refusal to listen to their pleas. I hope the Minister realises that this is quite an issue in the area and that she will look into the case and come up with a satisfactory solution from the parents' point of view.

Ms Bhreathnach

I thank Deputy Molloy for raising this matter.

The Department of Education has responsibility to ensure the safe delivery of about 166,000 primary and post-primary pupils throughout the country. The Department also has the responsibility of ensuring that the State gets the best possible value for the money it expends on the provision of this service on which, in the current year, approximately £39 million will be spent. This figure includes approximately £4 million which Bus Éireann receives in charges from pupils liable for such charges.

The main policy aim of the school transport scheme is to facilitate equality of access to primary and post-primary education by providing transport to enable children, who might otherwise have difficulty in doing so, attend school regularly.

The post-primary transport scheme is organised, in the first instance, by the transport liaison officer, who is the chief executive officer of the vocational education committee of the county, in co-operation with the school authorities and Bus Éireann. The Department does not make detailed arrangements. This is the responsibility of the transport liaison officers in conjunction with Bus Éireann.

In the organisation of school transport services, all routes are planned in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, every eligible pupil has a reasonable standard of service from the point of view of timetable and distance from the route while, at the same time, ensuring that all vehicles are fully utilised in the most efficient manner.

In order to achieve this, individual vehicles are generally required to operate a number of services to both primary and post-primary schools. This inevitably means that the timetable often requires some pupils to make an early start in the mornings and wait some time in the evenings. This is and always has been a feature of the transport schemes throughout the country.

When establishing post-primary services, routes are planned in such a way as to ensure as far as possible that no pupil will have more than three hours travelling and waiting time daily and live no more than three miles from the route of service.

The position in this case is that as a result of re-organisation of the transport services in the Carraroe area, the service from Lettermore-Lettermullen, formerly operated by a private contractor, is now operated by a scheduled Bus Éireann bus. This change was effective from 8 November 1993. The departure time on Friday evenings was changed to 4.15 p.m. Prior to this the departure time was 4.10 p.m. However, it appears that when the contractor was operating, he was providing an earlier service not authorised by Bus Éireann.

I understood the school now closes early on both Monday and Friday evenings. The pupils in question are accommodated on a public scheduled service. The service sought by the vocational education committee would require the provision of a special bus. It is not open to the Department to sanction such a service as the cost would be prohibitive.

In the circumstances, the present arrangement is considered adequate and it is not possible to sanction an earlier departure on Mondays and Fridays as sought.

Mr. Molloy

Will the Minister reconsider the position?

The Dáil adjourned at 5.15 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 14 February 1995.