Michael Ring
Question:539 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if a Department official will call to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo to discuss the boundary and catchment area for school transport purposes. [15776/02]
Written Answers. - School Transport.
The catchment area system was drawn up in the late 1960's, following negotiations and subsequently agreement with schools, mainly for the purposes of determining educational provision in a centre, such as the level of accommodation required to ensure that all pupils have a school place. The catchment boundary system is also used by the school transport section to determine eligibility for school transport services and to avoid an open situation, which would be unsustainable in terms of costs and difficult to organise.
It is open to parents to send their children to schools outside the catchment areas in which they reside. However, the best that can be offered in terms of school transport provision is catchment boundary facilities, provided there is room on the bus and no additional cost is incurred. It is not open to my Department to allow a service encroach into another school catchment area as this would be contrary to the terms of the scheme.
Boundaries may be redrawn only with the agreement of the relevant school authorities and the planning section of the Department.