Vol. 466 No. 1
158 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education if she will reconsider rerouting a bus service (details supplied) in County Donegal to ensure that a bus will pass three houses instead of making the children concerned walk in view of the fact that the proposed route is a more straightforward route and involves no extra expense. [11010/96]
As confirmed to the Deputy already, only one of the families in question is basically eligible for free transport. The other two families are ineligible for free transport on distance grounds, but may avail of concessionary fare-paying transport. This concession is also subject to no extra State cost being incurred by way of extending or altering the route of the existing service.
The service operating to the school in question passes within a reasonable distance of all the children's homes. Home pick-ups were never envisaged as part of the scheme. To reroute the service would involve extra mileage and cost. In the circumstances, my Department is not in a position to alter the route of the service as requested.
