Dan Neville
Ceist:396 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will review the school transport system in view of the many anomalies in relation to conveying pupils to schools of their choice. [15199/00]
Written Answers. - School Transport.
The primary and post-primary school transport scheme were basically designed to cater for children in rural areas, who, if living a long distance from school, might otherwise have difficulty in attending regularly. As a general rule in order to be eligible for transport under the terms of the schemes children must be attending their nearest national school or their appropriate post-primary centre and meet the distance criteria.
For pupils attending all-Irish or multi-denominational schools or pupils of Protestant denomination attending schools under Protestant management, eligibility is determined by reference to the distance to the nearest such school. Children attending special schools and special classes are given special consideration in the matter of transport to school through a separate network outside the eligibility criteria applicable under the normal school transport scheme.
In some circumstances concessionary transport may be allowed subject to certain conditions.
Where fare-paying transport is sought to a national school other than the nearest, the written agreement of the board of management of the nearest school is required to the provision of transport. As the Department's obligations are to eligible pupils, concessionary fare-payers may not always be accommodated.
Eligible pupils who wish to attend a post-primary centre other than their appropriate one may be allowed transport from within the catchment boundary of the centre being attended, subject to there being spare accommodation available on the service and provided no extra State cost is incurred. These pupils are, themselves, responsible for getting to the catchment boundary. It is not open to the Department to allow these pupils to be picked up from within their own catchment area, as it could give rise to objections from their appropriate post-primary centre, which would be sensitive to the loss of pupils from their area.
Generally, pupils are required to attend their nearest national school or post-primary centre to be considered eligible for transport purposes. To provide school transport for all pupils to attend the school of their choice would be difficult administratively and costly in terms of additional bus routes, which would most likely be required. In addition it would have major implications in the area of educational planning, particularly in relation to the provision of school facilities, and raise concerns with some schools with regard to future viability.
In the circumstances, it is not intended that the school transport schemes will be expanded to transport pupils to the school of their choice, should it be other than their nearest national school or post-primary centre.