asked the Minister for Education if he will have national school transport reorganised so that infants may be taken home at two o'clock.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport Scheme.
108.
Mr. R. Burke
I regret very much that, because of considerations of cost, it is not possible to do this except in a few cases where fairly large numbers of children are involved, in which instances the double tripping would be less uneconomic than in those cases in which small numbers of children would have to be catered for by the provision of additional services.
109.
asked the Minister for Education the changes, if any, that have been made in the operation of the free school transport scheme during the past year; and if any changes are proposed in the near future.
Mr. R. Burke
The scheme for transport of primary school children was improved in so far as it relates to protestant pupils by the reduction of the pre-existing qualifying distances from 2½ to 2 miles for pupils up to 10 years of age, and from 3½ to 3 miles for those over that age, thus bringing the requirements for these pupils into line with all others.
In response to a request from the Minister for Transport and Power to each Department to adopt fuel saving measures, special school transport services only operate on a Monday to Friday basis, with effect from the beginning of this term.
For the continuance of an existing bus service, the previous rule that there must be a continuous complement of ten eligible pupils on the bus has been relaxed to allow the retention as distinct from initial setting up of a service so long as nine eligible pupils are travelling on the bus.
It might be added that the recent increases in the price of fuel have added greatly to the cost of the service and of any potential improvements to it.
110.
asked the Minister for Education if he will provide a free bus service for children leaving Swords, County Dublin to attend post-primary schools outside the area.
Mr. R. Burke
The free secondary school transport scheme is intended for pupils from remote rural areas who would otherwise be unable to obtain education beyond the primary stage. Services under this scheme are confined to those pupils who live three miles or more from the nearest secondary school. As there are two secondary schools in Swords which is deemed to lie within the Dublin Metropolitan area, the terms of the transport scheme would not allow the establishment of a free bus service for children leaving Swords to attend secondary schools outside the area.
While there are two post-primary schools in the area, there is no convent school there. Would the Minister not consider altering the scheme to provide a service for the girls leaving the area to attend the convent school outside the area? There are up to 30 of them, and it is causing distinct hardship.
Mr. R. Burke
I have read out the regulations in regard to this matter. In any event, the vocational school can cater for a wide range of subjects, wide enough to cover all the pupils involved. In these circumstances I am not in a position to alter the terms of the scheme. This should be quite obvious to Deputy Burke who is a member of the vocational education committee in the County Dublin area.
Is the Minister not aware that many people like to send their children to a convent school? Surely he is not denying them the right of choice?
Mr. R. Burke
It is not a question of denying them choice of school. It is a question of not making transport facilities available on a given basis.
It is causing hardship. There is no charity.
111.
asked the Minister for Education why transport facilities were withdrawn from Newcastle National School, County Dublin, with particular reference to children from the Athgoe area.
Mr. R. Burke
Under the conditions of the free transport scheme, this service was established subject to the condition that the average daily number of eligible children being conveyed did not fall below nine for two consecutive school terms. Since only eight such children were being conveyed during the summer and Christmas terms, 1973, the Department had no option under the terms of the scheme but to withdraw grants from the service as from the Christmas recess, 1973.
My information is that a list of names has been submitted to the Department which would increase the number, and I would ask the Minister if he would have the matter investigated.
Mr. R. Burke
I shall bring the Deputy's point to the attention of the Parliamentary Secretary who deals with these matters.