asked the Minister for Education why his Department cut the school bus route from Gurrane, Carheens to Belclare national school, County Galway, in view of the fact that there was no room for the children in the Castlehackett national school area and also in view of the fact that the bus route has been operated for the last four years; and the reason for this change of policy.
Written Answers. - School Transport.
77.
In general, free school transport may be made available only to a pupil's nearest national school. The pupils in the area reside very close to Castlehackett national school and at a relatively long distance from Belclare. Having regard to the numbers in question and the considerable cost involved, the Department considered that it was necessary to review the transport routes to Belclare national school from the general area. However, subsequent to representations from Deputy John Donnellan and the Deputy asking the question today, I decided to restore for the present the particular route to which reference is made in the question: i.e, from Gurrane, Carheens, Caherlea areas, while the question of accommodation at Castlehackett school is under examination.
78.
asked the Minister for Education why the school bus route to Castlehackett national school, County Galway, was cut when 13 eligible children, not taking into account fare-paying passengers, were on this route.
Because there are currently only four children eligible for free transport in this case, it was not possible to continue it beyond the summer of 1981.
79.
asked the Minister for Education why the school bus route from Kilskeagh to Coolarne national school, County Galway, was cut for this term in view of the climatic and road conditions that the children have to endure in order to attend school; and if he will reconsider the matter.
Transport facilities to a national school may only be provided by the Department within the terms of the school transport scheme. The special transport service from the Kilskeagh/Mira/Cloonavadogue areas to Coolarne national school was withdrawn as from summer 1981 as the necessary minimum number of eligible children was not available for conveyance.
80.
asked the Minister for Education if he is prepared to sanction transport facilities from Doohamlet Cross to the post-primary schools in Castleblayney, County Monaghan, in view of the fact that no notice of the service being discontinued was given to the parents and that this service was available previously.
Doohamlet is in the Ballybay catchment area for junior cycle pupils and free transport is available to that centre. Pupils who attend school in another catchment area may as a special concession be allowed free transport from the nearest pick-up point inside the catchment boundary of that area. The transport service from Doohamlet to Castleblayney encroached on the Ballybay catchment area and it has been necessary to curtail the service to the catchment boundary at McLarney Cross. Those pupils who have been availing of free transport on the scheduled CIE bus service to Castleblayney are allowed to continue to do so.
The school authorities in Castleblayney and CIE were advised of this decision on 11 May 1981. It is the responsibility of the school authorities to inform the relevant parents of proposed withdrawals of service. I deeply regret that the parents involved were not informed. At present I am examining ways of improving this somewhat unsatisfactory arrangement which is part of the scheme set up prior to my coming into office.
81.
asked the Minister for Education if he has informed the County Galway Association for the Mentally Handicapped that adults attending their workshop factory are no longer eligible to travel on the school transport system; and, if so, the alternative free transport he will provide for those adults affected by his decision.
82.
asked the Minister for Education why the disabled children attending Snipe Avenue school in Galway city and the workshops of the rehabilitation school were left standing on the road-side on school opening day in September in view of the fact that their parents had no knowledge or notice of the cancellation of the transport arrangements.
With the permission of the Ceann Chomhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 81 and 82 together.
The position regarding mentally handicapped adults attending vocational training and workshop centres is that their transport is in the first instance a responsibility of the health boards. This position was clarified in an official letter addressed to the authorities of special schools with training centres and/or workshops and/or day care centres attached, in May 1981.
These adults are facilitated on school transport services on a concessionary basis by using such spare accommodation as existed on these services after the requirements of the eligible school-going children, who are my responsibility, are met.
A delay was caused in the allocation of spare seats to these adults by the necessity to determine precisely the requirements of the eligible school-going children. I am not satisfied that this constitutes a satisfactory basis of service to the mentally handicapped adults involved and I have instituted discussions with the health and other relevant authorities with a view to securing a more satisfactory arrangement. No time will be lost in trying to make maximum progress in such discussions.
83.
asked the Minister for Education the reason the school bus route to Cummer national school, County Galway, was cut by his Department; if account was taken of the fact that this bus route had sufficient number of eligible children and that in addition they had over 40 fare paying passengers; and if he will review the matter and restore the service.
Under the terms of the scheme, this service fell due to be withdrawn in summer 1980 and the board of management was so advised in July 1980. As a special concession it was decided to extend the service until the end of the school year 1980-81. One bus, instead of the two formerly used, was found to be sufficient to operate the special services from east and west of the school. The service from the east had to be curtailed to some extent as it was encroaching on the area of Ballinderry national school, from which objections had been received.
As far as my Department are aware, all children eligible for free transport to Cummer national school are being catered for by the revised arrangements. It is not open to me within the terms of the transport scheme to sanction the provision of a service to cater solely for fare-paying passengers.
84.
asked the Minister for Education the number of school bus routes to national schools which have been cancelled in the north Galway area for this school term.
Three school bus routes to national schools have been cancelled in the north Galway area for this school term due to the numbers of eligible children available for the services being less than those required under the terms of the transport scheme. In six other cases incidental facilities including concessionary fare-paying transport for pupils ineligible for free transport have been adjusted arising from reorganisation of the service in general. However, the Deputy will be pleased to hear that in ten other cases, new or improved services have been laid on during that same period, in the following areas: — Gurteen, Leenane, Belclare, Mullagh, Ballymacward, Camus, Annagh, Newtown, Moycullen and Cummer and every possible effort will be made to continue such improvements in accordance with the wishes of all the public representatives for the area.
85.
asked the Minister for Education why the school bus service which formerly transported a total of 22 children from the Rockfield, Rockbridge, Rockmore and Clamper Park areas of County Galway to Athenry Convent national school, has recently been reduced to cater for only 11 students; and whether he will restore the service immediately to include the other 11 students.
All eligible children in the Rockfield, Rockbridge, Rockmore and Clamper Park area, of whom there are 12 at present, are in receipt of free transport to Athenry national school. To cater for ineligible pupils from the area would involve State expenditure and it is not open to my Department to incur such expenditure under the terms of the free transport scheme.
86.
asked the Minister for Education the reason school transport was not provided for a person (details supplied) in County Dublin.
The person in question resides in the Dublin metropolitan area, which for the purposes of the free post primary transport scheme, stretches from Swords on the north-side to Bray on the south-side and includes the inner city area and built-up areas surrounding the city.
As a general rule free transport facilities are not provided for children in the Dublin metropolitan area. Children attending post-primary schools in this area are accommodated on ordinary CIE scheduled services and must pay the appropriate fare. A special subsidy is being paid to CIE which enables the company to keep the fares of school children up to 16 years of age at a lower level than the ordinary half fare. On reaching 16 years however a pupil availing of CIE scheduled services to and from school is obliged to pay full adult fare.