Vol. 511 No. 6
383 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will extend the school transport system for Galmoy national school, County Kilkenny, to the townland of Ross, Rathdowney; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24949/99]
As a guideline, primary school transport routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 1.5 miles to travel to a pick-up point. Pupils living off the main route of a service are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.
Home pick-ups were never envisaged as being part of the school transport scheme, as the cost involved on a countrywide level would be prohibitive.
The pupils in question live 0.5 miles from the present pick-up point. As this is considered to be a reasonable level of service in the overall context of the scheme, I regret that it is not open to my Department to re-route the school bus as requested.
