asked the Minister for Education the steps being taken to provide secondary education for children living at Kill, County Kildare; and if free transport will be provided in the interim to any location where these educational facilities are available.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Kildare Secondary Education Facilities.
4.
The second-level education needs of pupils living in Kill, County Kildare, are served by the Convent of Mercy Girls' Secondary School, the vocational school and the Christian Brothers' boys' secondary school in Naas. Free transport to Naas is available to the Kill pupils to enable them to attend one of these schools. Extensions are being provided to each of the three second-level schools in Naas. I am satisfied that, pending the completion of the extensions, the three schools, taken together, will continue to be able to accomodate all second-level pupils in the area, including the pupils living in Kill. The question of the provision of free transport to another centre does not, therefore, arise.
Have there been requests or representations from parents to have transport to another centre?
Deputy Bermingham has made representations on behalf of parents.
Does the Minister not propose to accede to those?
The Minister has indicated that there is a sufficiency of places in the Naas area for all second-level students who are anxious to pursue education in Naas.
That sounds like no.
It does not sound like no. The Minister is indicating—and I would like to have further questions if it is necessary to elucidate anything—that there is no need for any transportation away from Naas at the moment because places are available to all intending students there.