Vol. 535 No. 1
606 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the actions he has taken to date to implement the Oireachtas Joint Committee report on school transport; the reason for the delay in implementing its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11418/01]
The report by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science on school transport in Ireland deals with a broad range of trans port issues and contains many recommendations for changes to the school transport system.
The report is the subject of an ongoing assessment, including costings, in the school transport section of my Department in consultation with Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department. The Deputy will appreciate that, given the large number of these recommendations and taking account of staff limitations and the major implications in relation to funding, it is not possible to put all the recommendations in place with immediate effect.
Some improvements have been announced in areas where assessments have been completed. These include extended eligibility for pupils where bullying is proven or the nearest school building is physically unsuitable. In January I announced a range of improvements to the school transport scheme. The new improvements will cost in the region of £2.85 million a year and include reducing the qualifying distance for primary school pupils aged ten or over from three miles to two miles so that all primary pupils will be treated equally for eligibility purposes; the number of eligible primary pupils required to establish a new school bus service has been reduced from ten to seven; improvements have also been made in relation to remote area and scheme D grants and the qualifying distance for post-primary pupils residing a distance from a school bus route will be reduced from three to two miles; all school vehicles will have a communications system fitted on board during the course of this school year; arrangements will made for all buses to have first aid kits on board by the end of the year; and the travelling and waiting time for post-primary pupils is being reduced from three hours to 2.5 hours this year.
