James McDaid
Ceist:67 Dr. McDaid asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide a national escort service for children attending special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12665/96]
Written Answers. - Child Escort Service.
I have no plans at present to extend the pilot scheme of grant-aid towards the provision of escorts on transport services operating to certain special schools and special classes.
The Deputy will be aware that, in 1995, I allocated a sum of £150,000 for a pilot scheme of grant-aid towards the provision of escorts on certain school transport services. All applications for support under this scheme were carefully considered by my Department. It was decided that funding under the pilot phase of the scheme should be concentrated to facilitate the appointment of escorts on services to special schools and special classes for children with a physical handicap, and provide assistance towards the cost of escorts for pupils attending the special schools for hearing-impaired and visually-impaired children who travel long distances by bus and train at weekends. It will be necessary to evaluate the operation of the pilot phase of the scheme before considering any modification or expansion.
The question of escorts on special transport services is one of the issues being considered by the School Transport Review Committee which was established earlier this year.