Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2005
596 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Education and Science if pupils in Limerick who failed to obtain a place at a local school of their choice in the first round offer and who accepted a place at the Salesian Secondary College, Pallaskenry, which is deemed to be outside the catchment area, will be provided with subsidised school transport to Pallaskenry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9125/05]
View answerFor the purposes of post-primary education provision, the country is divided into catchment areas. Under the terms of the school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for school transport if he or she resides 4.8 kilometres or more from the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which he or she lives. Eligible pupils who wish to attend a post-primary centre other than the centre serving the catchment area in which they reside may be allowed transport on school services from within the catchment boundary of the centre being attended, subject to there being spare accommodation available on those services and provided that no additional State cost is incurred.
An eligible pupil who is approved for catchment boundary transport is not guaranteed school transport for the duration of his or her education at that centre. As a concessionary measure, continued transport will depend on the availability of space on the school service to that centre each school term.
The provision of school transport to the Salesian College, Pallaskenry for pupils residing in the Limerick city catchment area will be considered under the terms of the scheme and in the context of the outcome of the centralised application system for enrolments for pupils in Limerick city.
