Frank O'Rourke (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Dolan spoke about oversubscribed schools. In one particular case a school is oversubscribed and has no capacity for students to attend. The reason cited not to provide public transport to bring them to an alternative school is that there will be capacity in that school in the future. I know Ms McElduff is shaking her head and saying it is not right. However, the parents got it in writing from the Department to say that there are plans to extend the school in 18 months or two years and in the interim it would not consider providing transport to the alternative school.

It all hinges on the area we discussed earlier, which affects Johnstownbridge and Broadford. The crux of the problem is the lack of flexibility in the Department. I note the officials have said there will be no change on the discretionary side etc. The reality is that there is a cohort of students who come under three different headings. They need to get to school, whether it is primary or post-primary. That issue needs to be looked at because a student living in the next estate or a mile down the road from student who has the ticket still has to get to school and may have no way of getting there. Walking there can be an issue because, as Deputy Rabbitte has pointed out, in most cases there is no infrastructure. There is no other public transport. Most households no longer have two cars because circumstances have changed in recent years, as we know. That is the reality and that is why I am appealing to the Department to discuss the practicality of how this affects families, communities and schools.

It is ironic that post-primary schools are approaching parents with children in primary schools that would be identified by the Department as being in a different catchment area, promoting their school and advocating for students to come there. Parents and students are saying, "Yes. I like that. I think I'll do that." Then they do it and find they have no way of getting there because they are outside the boundary or because of a guideline. We need to focus on that area because it is a problem. Irrespective of how much we refer back to guidelines and legislation, that is a practical problem on the ground and it is not appropriate for Ms McElduff to say it does not exist. It does exist because parents have told me it is a problem.