asked the Minister for Education the present position with public liability insurance in primary schools for children who finish class at 2 p.m. and have to wait for the school bus until 3 p.m.
Written Answers. - School Transport.
614.
Responsibility for the welfare of pupils awaiting collection by the school transport service rests with individual boards of management. It is a matter for each board to arrange adequate supervision and insurance cover for children while they await the arrival of the school bus to take them to their homes.
615.
asked the Minister for Education if she will consider the amount of school bus fees payable by parents who must collect their children from primary school at 2 o'clock because there is no school bus available until 3 o'clock.
Eligible primary pupils who avail themselves of school transport services to their appropriate national school are carried free. The Deputy appears to be referring to ineligible primary school pupils who avail themselves of incidental fare-paying facilities on special school bus services when travelling to school. The term fare for such pupils is £10. These pupils are already benefiting from a concession. Accordingly, I do not consider that a reduction in the fare in the circumstances as outlined by the Deputy would be warranted.