Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish to convey a deep sense of anger, frustration and annoyance on the part of hundreds of parents throughout County Laois at the consequences of the recent school transport changes. I refer in particular to the parents of students attending Heywood community school in south County Laois. I remind the Minister that this school was founded in 1990 as a result of a forced amalgamation by the then Department of Education of four schools, the Salesian college Ballinakill - the site of the current Heywood school - the Brigidine convent, Abbeyleix, Abbeyleix vocational school and the Presentation convent, Durrow.

The catchment area of the new Heywood community school was drawn up in accordance with the catchment areas of the four former schools. This was agreed at the time, and I was part of the negotiations as a Deputy for Laois-Offaly. I remind Members that this was not an easy amalgamation. It was mandated by the Department and it took some time to bring about the support of the parents, students and people of County Laois. Now we have seen that agreement unilaterally torn up by the Department of Education and Skills in a way that has given rise to serious frustration. Already, the school has lost six first year students. Three students from the village of The Swan, in County Laois, have no bus ticket. Parents in the Raheen, Shanahoe area of County Laois are in dismay, as they have been told that their children must attend school in the large urban area of Portlaoise.

We are seeing unilaterally on the part of the Department of Education and Skills a breaking of the traditional links between rural areas and rural schools and a breaking of the historic links between rural families and their schools. Students with brothers and sisters attending Heywood community school, which currently has approximately 700 pupils - one of the largest secondary schools in County Laois - have been told they must attend another school. Students in south County Laois have been told they must attend schools across the border in County Kilkenny. I mean no disrespect to the people of County Kilkenny, but I urge the Minister to share my sense of frustration at students being told they cannot avail of school transport and that they cannot attend their local school - a school with 700 students which was the result of a forced amalgamation and the closure of three schools - despite the guarantees given. Students on the other side of County Laois are being told they must attend school in the larger urban area of Portlaoise. Again, Portlaoise is many miles away from them and has no historic or traditional links for them.

I want the Minister to review this matter. I want him to comment in particular on the mistakes that have been made, with particular reference to the measurement of the areas. My information is that the measurements ascertaining the revised catchment districts refer to the old school in Portlaoise, which is at least 1,000 m from the new school. The Minister will be aware that parents enrol students in secondary schools in January and buy uniforms, books, tracksuits, iPads - in the case of Heywood - and so on. They have already attended to these needs by the time they are told in August that transport is being cut and that the students are in the wrong school. This is unacceptable and I ask the Minister to address the issue.

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