asked the Minister for Education why the school transport formerly provided has been withdrawn in the case of one child attending the Church of Ireland School, Clonenagh, and two other children attending Mountrath National School, County Laois, who come from the same district from which transport still operates; why they are now denied the right of transport to school while other children in exactly similar circumstances are transported; and if, in the case of these children (names supplied), he will have an investigation carried out with the least possible delay.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Transport Service.
66.
The company with which the bus operating the service in question is insured, has declined to continue to provide insurance cover for the number of school children which their policy had previously covered. The reduced number for which the policy now provides has meant that some of the children who were ineligible for free transport but had been carried on a concessionary basis as fare-paying passengers could no longer be accepted on the vehicle.
As the three children to whom the Deputy's question refers were those most recently granted fare-paying facilities, this concession was withdrawn from them so that the numbers being carried on the bus would comply with the cover now being afforded by the insurance policy.
Questions Nos. 67 to 70, inclusive, postponed.
71.
asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that in certain cases concerning school transport, conditions have been laid down by insurance companies to the effect that some vehicles are covered to carry only 12 passengers to school; and, in view of the fact that many passengers are now denied the school transport to which they are entitled, he will indicate the action he proposes to take in the matter to ensure that extra vehicles will be provided for this service or to arrange with the companies to ensure that full cover for all persons conveyed to the schools in the vehicles in question will be provided.
I am aware that certain insurance companies have recently decided in the case of some school transport vehicles to reduce the numbers of children previously allowed on their insurance policies covering these vehicles.
Where this has happened, the transport services have been so re-arranged as to ensure that all eligible children who have been in receipt of transport will continue to be catered for. It may not be feasible, however, in all cases where loadings are reduced by insurance companies to continue to provide for the conveyance of all those children who, though ineligible for free transport, have hitherto been carried as a concession as fare-paying passengers.
I am in touch with the Department fo Industry and Commerce who have taken the matter up with the insurance companies concerned.
72.
asked the Minister for Education if he will arrange for the provision of a free or subsidised State transport service for students from the Nenagh area, County Tipperary, attending the third-level institutes of education in Limerick.
No. The school transport scheme is confined to pupils attending primary and post-primary schools. It does not apply to students of third-level institutions.
What I have asked is whether the Parliamentary Secretary would now consider extending the scheme to take account of the need that exists to transport pupils to third-level institutes. I can tell him that there are at least 40 such students in the immediate area of Nenagh who attend the various institutes in Limerick. Does the Parliamentary Secretary not think that in these circumstances it would be a very beneficial social service to provide some sort of subsidised or free transport for them?
If you did that you would have to give transport to people from one end of the country to the other, to universities all over the country. The cost would be astronomical and I would not consider it.
There is no suggestion about transporting students from one end of the country to the other. The Parliamentary Secretary is doing himself less than justice in saying that. There will be students within reasonable travelling distance of Limerick or Galway and does the Parliamentary Secretary not think it is a logical consequence of the educational policy during the last decade that pupils should be able to attend——
This is widening the scope of the question.
That is the basis of the question. That is what centralisation of education means.
I do not think it is a matter of higher priority to provide free transport for such students from the funds of the Department.
I was suggesting subsidisation. I take it, then, that the Parliamentary Secretary's reaction is a total rejection of the idea.
I have already stated my position.