Vol. 449 No. 4
109 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Education, in relation to Ballymacart National School, The Ring Gaeltacht in County Waterford, if she will sanction a change in the school bus route back to the route that was in operation up to 1989 in view of the fact that the school is in a Gaeltacht area and its future will be threatened if this change is not sanctioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3617/95]
All existing school transport services are subject to review and possible reorganisation each year in light of population changes. A service can be restored only if the number of eligible pupils justifies it.
I understand that only two pupils would benefit from a restoration of the pre-1989 service. Whilst a return to that route could not be justified, I am prepared, as an exceptional matter, to sanction an extension of service which would bring the pick-up point nearer to those two pupils, giving a home pick-up point to one of the pupils. In doing so, I am taking account of the fact that Ballymacart is a Gaeltacht school.
