asked the Minister for Education what proportion of pupils catered for (a) by post-primary school transport services and (b) by primary school transport services are collected more than one hour, more than an hour-and-a-half and more than two hours respectively before the time of school opening.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport Service.
100.
To assemble the information sought by the Deputy a detailed survey would be necessary of over 3,000 school transport routes involving over 100,000 pupils. The time and effort involved would not be warranted.
In view of the importance of establishing the extent of this problem, of which every Deputy is aware from representations made to him, will the Parliamentary Secretary indicate whether he will carry out a sample survey which, in view of the large numbers involved, would disclose information of value to him?
We do not feel it is necessary. We are aware of the difficulties that exist and we are anxious to eliminate them. We have 620 new buses on order, and these are being supplied at the rate of three per week. We are anxious to have one bus going on each route and eliminate the double-tripping which is causing present delays.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary saying that it will be 4¼ years before the problem will begin to be solved?
No. These buses are continuously coming in, at the rate of three per week.
That is 156 per year, and even if the assemblers did not take any holidays while making the buses, it adds up to 4¼ years.
More than half the buses are available already.
Is the Parliamentary Secretary saying that 620 buses are on order and that half of them have arrived already?
Half of them are on the road.
Is it correct to say that 620 buses are on order? Would the Parliamentary Secretary read that part of his reply again?
Mr. J. Lenehan
If they put knobs on him we could turn him off.
That was not in my reply. For the Deputy's information, the long term implementation of the school transport programme, which had to be put into operation to make the free education system operate, necessitated the ordering of 620 new buses. Approximately half of those have been delivered already and we are still awaiting about 300. They are coming in at the rate of three a week. These buses will be put on routes where double trips are occurring at present and also where old buses are being used.
The position is, therefore, that no steps can be taken to solve the problem until old buses have been eliminated.
The Chair would point out that there will be a debate on the Estimate for Education later. I am calling question No. 101.