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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 8 Mar 2001

Vol. 532 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Transport.

Michael Noonan

Ceist:

148 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will provide information relating to a situation (details supplied) where some pupils of a special school must travel to and from school without a bus escort, despite the fact that the school has fulfilled the necessary criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7251/01]

My Department allocated funding to facilitate the appointment of an escort on every special school transport service. Many of the indi vidual services in question serve more than one school and in such situations the practice has been that the school with the highest number of pupils travelling on the service is allocated funding to employ the escorts.

I understand that the school referred to by the Deputy shares transport on ten routes with another special school in the locality. Regrettably, this latter school which has been allocated funding to employ the escorts has not done so to date.

I have asked my officials to liaise with the authorities of both schools in an effort to resolve current difficulties so that this necessary and valuable service can be made available to all the children in question as soon as possible.

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