Vol. 480 No. 2
367 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education if he will have arrangements made to have children attending the vocational education committee and CBS secondary schools in Youghal, County Cork, to be collected from the schools in the evening from the same location where they are set down in the morning rather than having them walk a considerable distance to the Loreto Convent as is currently the case. [14081/97]
The central set-down and pick up point is a feature of the post-primary school transport scheme. It is in operation in several large towns where there is more than one post-primary school. In 1995, as an exceptional matter, a second set-down point, in the morning only, was introduced because the pupils had to climb up a steep hill to their schools. The revised arrangement ensures that they are set down at a point very close to their schools. Since the present level of service in the afternoons is considered by my Department to be reasonable and adequate in the overall context of the school transport scheme, I regret that a further extension is not feasible at this time.
