Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 December 2007
203 Deputy Brendan Kenneally asked the Minister for Education and Science if concessionary tickets for school transport will be issued to pupils (details supplied) in County Waterford as outlined in this Deputy’s letter to her Department on 12 September 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33093/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if s/he resides 4.8 kilometres or more from her/his local post primary education centre.
The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area in which they reside. However, children who are fully eligible for transport to the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which they reside, may apply for transport on a concessionary basis to a post-primary centre outside of their own catchment area — otherwise known as catchment boundary transport. These children can only be facilitated if spare seats are available on the bus after all other eligible children travelling to their local post-primary centre have been catered for. Such children have to make their own way to the nearest pick up point within that catchment area.
The Transport Liaison Officer for Co. Waterford and Bus Éireann have advised that the transport service in question is operating to capacity. The families in question should continue to liaise with Bus Éireann regarding the availability of catchment boundary seats in the future.
