Vol. 473 No. 6
206 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Education if she will have investigations made into the possibility of changing the collection time of school children travelling from Skeheenarinky to Mitchelstown, County Cork, to ensure that they are not first collected in the morning and last returned in the evening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2291/97]
The pupils from the Skeheenarinky area who attend secondary school in Mitchelstown are not subject to the operation of a double trip in the morning. The school but from this area operates a single trip in the mornings. These pupils are returned home on a double trip in the afternoon as the bus concerned has to first operate a shorter route.
Double-tripping is a feature of the school transport scheme throughout the country. The pupils in question are regarded as having an adequate level of service in the overall context of the school transport scheme and I do not propose to change the present arrangements.
