Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Neville's parliamentary question was specific and he did not provide the details of the families involved. The Department understands three families are involved. One family resides 4 km, 2.5 miles, from Ballingarry national school and 0.64 km, less than half a mile, from the route of the existing service. The second family resides 3.8 km from the national school and under 0.5 km from the route of the existing service. Both families are being looked after under the scheme.

In any discussion of the school transport scheme, the question of catchment areas arises. I am often asked why the catchment area system cannot be reviewed as it came into vogue in the late 1960s. Its main function is to prevent schools poaching pupils from one another. It was essentially designed to support the local school, particularly small rural schools where one could see their demise if poaching pupils was allowed. Catchment areas also impact on education policies such as building programmes and so forth. The rules and regulations have been improved greatly since the changes took place in 2001.

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