Vol. 509 No. 3
60 Mr. Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason his Department did not approve of an application from Schull community college, County Cork, for the provision of school transport (details supplied) to accommodate 15 pupils currently with a projected enrolment of 21 pupils from September 2000. [20102/99]
The position generally is that post-primary transport routes are planned so as to ensure that, as far as possible, no eligible pupil will have more than three hours travelling and waiting time per day and no more than three miles to travel to a pick-up point for a service.
The pupils concerned reside between 0.4 miles and 2.4 miles from the route of existing service. The service collects the pupils at 8.15 a.m. each morning, and sets them down at 16.05 p.m. in the afternoon. The school opens at 9.30 a.m. and closes at 15.45 p.m. The total travelling and waiting time is one hour 35 minutes. This level of service is within guidelines.
