Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 7 July 2022
Public Accounts Committee
2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 26 - Education
2018 Report on the Accounts of the Public Services of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 7 - Purchase of Sites for School Provision
2019 Report on the Accounts of the Public Services of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Chapter 8 - Management of the Schools Estate
9:30 am
Ms Aoife Conduit:
I am aware of the case. I know that the Chair wrote recently to the Secretary General in respect of this and that we have issued a letter by return.
On the first point the Chair raised, I can only apologise for the customer service if he could not get through on the phone. I can certainly provide him with a phone number and the name of an official he could contact directly.
On the particular case, we have written to him clarifying the position. In terms of eligibility, as the Chair knows, eligibility for transport is based on one’s nearest school. After that, it is based on one’s second nearest school and so on. The principal and parents have been advised that there is no requirement for a section 29 process to be undergone. Confirmation from the principals of all the schools between that family and the school they wish to attend will be required to confirm that there are no places available in those schools. That is the position on that. We are happy to follow up with the Chair on that if he requires further clarification.