Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.

Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960s and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. For planning purposes, the country was divided into geographic districts, each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. The intention was and continues to be that these defined districts facilitate the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. They also facilitate the provision of a national school transport service, enabling children from remote areas to access their nearest schools.

I do not propose to hold a general country-wide review of catchment boundaries. A review of specific catchment boundaries in particular areas can, however, be appropriate in certain circumstances. A number of these has been carried out over the years where, for example, a new post-primary school is established in an area where previously there was none or where a sole provider school closes due to declining enrolment.

The area development planning initiative, involving an extensive consultative process carried out by the commission on school accommodation, will also inform future revisions to catchment areas. An area development plan takes account of demographic changes and projects future enrolments for existing schools and new schools if required. Catchment boundary changes will be made where the implementation of the recommendations in an area development plan requires such adjustments.

Catchment boundaries have provided and continue to provide a very useful tool in facilitating the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs and the operation of the national school transport service.

With regard to the phasing out of three for two seating arrangements, Bus Éireann has indicated that only 31 out of a total of 2,500 post-primary services are now operating on the basis of a seating capacity in excess of one for one. This represents rapid progress and the end of term deadline for full implementation should be met. At primary level, I expect that one for one seating arrangements will be in place by December 2006.

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