asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that school bus fares to a school (name supplied) have been increased four times in the past six months; and if he will take action to reduce fares to the figure existing six months ago.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - School Bus Fares.
65.
The Deputy will appreciate that the fares for schoolchildren using public bus services are primarily a matter for CIE.
As from 2nd December, 1968, CIE introduced a new fare structure on their Dublin city and provincial city bus services. This was the only time that fares to the school named by the Deputy were increased in the past six months. Even then the increase applied only to children over 16 years of age and the average increase was about 12½ per cent.
The fares of pupils under the age of 16 have been kept at or below the level obtaining prior to December, 1968. This has been made possible with the aid of a subsidy from my Department.
Does the Minister not consider it reasonable that, if certain children are entitled to free transport, those who live a little nearer to the school should have the fares they are paying increased by 12½ per cent?
We must draw the line somewhere.
Why ask for an increase when in fact if they happened to be a quarter of a mile farther from the school they would get the entire run free? Why then should those who are paying have their fares increased? Surely it does not make sense?
I have had a discussion with the people concerned with this matter in CIE recently. We had a very full discussion the week before last and any change in the regulations would involve a substantial financial commitment. To keep the fares at the present level for children under 16, as we have done, is already costing the Exchequer £130,000 per annum. That is the cost of pegging the fares for children under 16. If you begin to extend it you will be going into much bigger money. We are having the whole matter examined.
Would the Minister not consider that the buses, which in many cases are bringing children from outside a certain area free of charge, pass through the area and collect fares from children living there and that otherwise the bus would be half empty?
I am aware of that. That was one of the main matters discussed with CIE.
So that it would be untrue for CIE to suggest that there would be a big financial commitment involved since the bus is going through the area in any case?
I appreciate that and it is one of the matters that I brought to their notice, but it is not as simple as that.
Does the Minister not consider that it is now time that blanket arrangements should be brought in to cover free transport for all school children?
Again, the financial implications here are quite substantial. I am sympathetically disposed towards this idea myself because a more uniform application would obviously make better sense as far as everybody in a particular area is concerned but the financial commitments are quite substantial.
But there are ludicrous arrangements whereby some children can have free transport while others, who appear to have the same claim, do not.
I appreciate that. This does appear to the public to give rise to anomalies but we are having the whole matter examined——
Get on with the work, give free transport and have finished with it.
Less of the instant politics. We must be responsible.
(Interruptions.)
I take it that the Minister is speaking for himself.