Vol. 508 No. 5
120 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Science the assistance, if any, his Department will give to the families of five autistic children who attend Camphill, Ballytobin, County Kilkenny, on a daily basis but have no established transport system to rely on; if he will offer the funding required to cover the costs of this system or grant aid each family to cover the full cost of travel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19400/99]
Under present transport arrangements, Bus Éireann, who operate the transport service on behalf of my Department, provide a basic transport service to pupils attending special schools and special classes attached to primary schools. Where it is not possible to provide such a service, grant aid is offered to the parents of the pupil concerned towards private transport arrangements.
My Department has no involvement in the provision of education services to the centre referred to by the Deputy and therefore has no plans to provide a transport service. I understand the local health authority provides grant aid to the centre in question and I am therefore arranging to forward the issue raised by the Deputy to my colleague the Minister for Health and Children.
