asked the Minister for Education is she will confirm that an order was made by her predecessor to provide transport from the Drummond and surrounding areas to Mountmellick post-primary schools, County Laois; and the reason for the delay in having the transport provided.
Written Answers. - School Transport.
454.
For the purposes of post-primary education the Drummond district is in the Clonaslee catchment area.
Clonaslee Centre is adequate at junior cycle level only. The Department provides transport for eligible pupils to the centre.
The Department also provide transport for senior cycle pupils from the Clonaslee catchment area to Mountmellick Centre.
Junior cycle pupils from the Clonaslee catchment area who reside at least three miles from their home centre and who wish to attend Mountmellick may be allowed catchment boundary facilities to that centre only if so far as there is spare accommodation available on the relevant bus.
My Department have no authority to incur additional State expenditure in order to facilitate catchment boundary pupils.