asked the Minister for Education if he intends providing school transport for children in Towin and Ballinacloughy, County Galway, who are attending the secondary school in Oranmore.
87.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Galway School Transport.
86.
asked the Minister for Education why the question of providing school transport from Towin and Ballinacloughy, County Galway, to Oranmore secondary school has been kept under review for more than 12 months.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I will take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together. It is not possible to extend the existing special school bus service to Oranmore to cater for the Towin pupils because of the conditions of the roads in the area. These pupils are, therefore, outside the range of transport and would be eligible for boarding grants. The children from Ballinacloughy already have a reasonable standard of service, being within range of a pick-up point on a school transport route to Oranmore. The delay in bringing this matter to final decision was due to the fact that discussions have been going on until recently between CIE staff and the local interests about the points at issue.
Will the Parliamentary Secretary not agree that this matter has been dealt with in a most unsatisfactory manner? It should not have been necessary to have had all the representations that were made to arrive at the answer we are now given. There has been great inconvenience and frustration caused to parents because of the tardiness and indecision of the Department in this serious matter where the pupils were deprived of transport. Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the road in question is fully capable of accommodating a school bus, that it has been used by CIE tour buses and large delivery trucks and other large vehicles? The opinion given should not be accepted and a further investigation should be carried out.
The delay to which the Deputy refers occurred solely because the Department were trying to find some solution to a difficult problem. It would have taken no time for the Department to issue a blunt refusal in the first instance, but rather than do that the Department tried to find a solution. Regrettably it has not been possible to do so. In relation to the width of the road, it is only ten feet wide with a two-feet grass margin on either side. The road is relatively busy, being the only link road in the area. There is only one point along its four mile length where vehicles can pass. A school bus is 8 feet 2 inches wide. Therefore, there can be no question of extending the school bus route.
The parents will be totally dissatisfied with the approach shown in this matter. Facilities could have been provided by using a minibus if the road is considered too narrow for large buses.
I can assure the Deputy that possibility was considered but it was not possible to do it within a reasonable cost basis.
What is the width of a mini-bus?
I have not that information.