Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 6 May 1998

Vol. 490 No. 5

Written Answers. - School Transport.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

314 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the recommendation by the committee in relation to school transport services whereby it proposes the imposition of a time limit on the concept of catchment areas for closed schools in determining transport eligibility in the primary sector; the plans, if any, he has to implement this recommendation; if he will consider a ten year time limit an equitable one whereby all existing pupils in the former school would have completed their education at primary level and, in view of this general concept, if he will consider in the first instance in applying it to a primary school catchment area (details supplied) in County Wexford in which case school amalgamation was affected in 1969 and to this date that catchment area of the closed school is depriving students to a nearer primary school in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10662/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The school transport review committee undertook a very comprehensive study of the entire school transport system. The committee addressed a broad range of transport issues, including the imposition of a time limit on closure and amalgamation conditions for the purposes of determining eligibility for school transport. The recommendations of the committee's report, which was published in January 1998, have generated extensive debate. Serious consideration will be given to the product of this debate before any final decisions are taken on changes to the scheme. Any change in the transport arrangements to the school in question would be considered in the context of any future amendments to the school transport scheme as a whole, as operated on a country wide basis.