Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)

I am delighted to have the opportunity to address the urgent need for a school bus for the primary school children who must travel each day from their homes in Ballina in County Tipperary to the little country national school in Boher, which is within the same parish. Táim an-bhuíoch as ucht an seans labhairt ar son tuismitheoirí daltaí na scoile. I am grateful to the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science for attending to address this issue directly.

Ballina is a quite unique area in Munster and the 2006 census figures reveal a 64% increase in population since 2002. Oversubscription to the primary school in Ballina is such that the school at Boher, situated four miles distant, has had a major influx of new pupils. Each day, approximately 43 pupils travel from their homes in Ballina to the little country school, which is served by narrow rural roads that are not conducive to heavy traffic. Some of the children travel by private car and others have attempted to arrange a private bus service to travel the journey safely.

Boher has experienced an increase in population in its own right and thereby increased enrolment in its school. One reason is that the locals and the management of the school, much to their credit, provided an autism unit therein. It therefore attracts children from a large catchment area in addition to the large number attending on foot of oversubscription in Ballina.

It is unfair that parents are expected to transport the 43 young children beyond the two-mile limit each day at their own expense. I have already been in contact with the Department and it is aware of the problem. However, it is urgent that a response be returned as soon as possible to the parents, who have also been in communication with the Department.

In recent times, population growth has exceeded the expectations of the Department. This does not reflect negatively on the Department because unforeseen and unprecedented increases have occurred in Ballina and Boher, which is on the shore of Lough Derg. We are very pleased and grateful that 16 classrooms have been approved for Ballina national school, four of which were approved by the Department at quite short notice.

It is envisaged that the children travelling to Boher will be able to return to the newly refurbished school in Ballina when the extension is finally completed. However, difficulties are arising at present because of the volume of traffic outside Boher national school. There is very limited parking space and the children's lives, and those of motorists and pedestrians, are all in danger because of the failure of the Department of Education and Science to provide a school bus at an early stage. There is a very good case for its provision and I am grateful for the opportunity to present it on behalf of the parents of the affected schoolchildren in Ballina.

The population growth in the hinterland of Ballina has had a dramatic impact on school numbers. It is quite extraordinary that the population projected in 2002 for 2011 has already been reached in this unique area, and it is therefore no surprise that the schools in the area are first to feel the impact. We expect that 27 young children from the school in Ballina will graduate in June 2007 and they will be replaced by approximately 74 pupils in the incoming infant class. This presents a serious problem and I will therefore welcome the comments of the Minister of State on how it might be addressed.

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