asked the Minister for Education whether it is proposed by his Department to exclude 350 children under the age of six years who are at present attending school in the Crumlin area from further attendance, in order to make room for another 350 children over six years of age who are at present without school facilities in the area, and, further, if he has received representations from the School Meals Committee in respect of the proposed exclusion of these children; also, whether he will state the estimated cost of providing free bus transport to and from the city schools for the children at present excluded or proposed to be excluded from attending school in the said area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Crumlin School Facilities.
Mr. Byrne
It is not proposed to exclude from school any children in the Crumlin area who are at present attending school and no direction to exclude from school children under six years has been issued by my Department. A copy of a resolution passed by the Dublin County Borough Meals Committee on the matter referred to by the Deputy has been received. From information at the disposal of my Department, there is no necessity for the provision of a special transport service, and hence I have not made any inquiry as to the cost of such service.
Mr. Byrne
Will the Minister say whether he has received any recommendations from parish managers of other schools in the city which these pupils formerly attended to the effect that they have facilities for them if the Minister will provide the transport to bring them in? Take, for instance, Whitefriars Street School and another school in Inchicore. There is room in these schools for 300 or 400 children and why should the children be left running around just because the transport is not available?
It seems to me that is a separate question, but I may say, for the information of the Deputy, that provision has already been made for the accommodation of children of all parents living in corporation houses in the Crumlin South area. In the Crumlin North area, provision is being made for the attendance of all children who come within the ages covered by the School Attendance Act. I am not aware that the position which the Deputy apprehends obtains there and, as I have already told the House, I am informed that, under arrangements made by my Department, provision is being, or very shortly will be, made for all school-going children in both areas.
Would the Minister say where the provision is being made in the North Crumlin area?
St. Michael's Christian Brothers' School, Keogh Square, and Golden Bridge Convent National School.
Is the Minister aware that these schools are already full and that there is no possibility of their taking in any more children?
My advice is that arrangements have been made and that there is sufficient accommodation in these two schools for the 300 children in question.
The information I have is from the manager.
Mr. Byrne
Is the Minister aware that the new schools for which arrangements are being made will not be ready for two years? In the meantime, it is stated by parish managers and local bodies that there are 800 children left without school accommodation and the free bus, which the Minister kindly provided up to recently to bring these children into the city, has been discontinued. If it is not exceptionally costly, would the Minister consider renewing that service with a view to providing school facilities for these children?
As I have explained, although there may be 800 children, only 300 of them are over six years of age. It is hoped to make arrangements very shortly, if the arrangements have not already been made, to deal with these children. I cannot hold out any hope whatever of re-establishing the bus service for the convenience of children in the Crumlin area.