Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2017
183. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the fact that the ethos condition in the post-primary school transport scheme refers to religious minorities constitutes discrimination against other minorities such as those with no religious faith wishing to attend an Educate Together secondary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33565/17]
View answer184. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a record is kept of the religion of the students qualifying for the post-primary school transport scheme to attend minority religious faith schools; if so, if he will provide these figures. [33566/17]
View answer185. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that Educate Together secondary schools qualify for the post-primary school transport scheme on the same basis as minority religious faith schools in view of the fact that these schools are mostly chosen by those not wishing to avail of a school that is of the main religious ethos here. [33567/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 185, inclusive, together.
School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
In relation to school transport provision, ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the context of provision for minority religions.
While it is the prerogative of parents to choose the school that they wish there children to attend, eligibility for school transport is determined by the distance that children reside from their nearest school.
The detailed information requested by the Deputy is not captured by Bus Éireann during the application process.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
