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School Transport Provision

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 April 2014

Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Questions (56, 57)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

56. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the longest waiting times and travelling times and the total times for pupils of different age categories for primary school and post-primary schools within which Bus Éireann are obliged to carry children to and from schools; the commencement times, end times, travelling times and waiting times; and if he will answer in sufficient detail and form to enable pupils and parents to see if there is compliance; the penalties that are imposed on Bus Éireann for breach of these obligations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16876/14]

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Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

57. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form a list of routes or landing boards giving the route number, the first pick up point and terminus point that have had longer waiting times and travel times totals for whatever reason than the agreed times; the number of days that the service was outside the agreed times that children have to be brought to and from schools for each category for primary school and post-primary schools within the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16878/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 57 together.

The terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme are available on my Department and Bus Éireann websites. Included in the terms of the scheme are guidelines for travel and waiting times for children attending primary or post primary schools.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally. Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, school transport routes for children attending primary schools are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 2.4 kilometres to or from a pick up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 1.5 hours per day. Similar guidelines are applied for school transport services operating to post primary schools; travel and waiting times are 3.2 kilometres and 2.5 hours respectively.Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.

The level of detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. In this regard I have asked Bus Éireann to forward such information as is available directly to the Deputy.

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