Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department will alter a school bus route which no longer meets the needs of the children in the area (details supplied) in County Limerick. [7830/05]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Éireann, which administers the school transport scheme locally on behalf of the Department of Education and Science, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of school bus services. Routes are determined on the basis of numbers of eligible pupils in particular areas, road networks, distance guidelines and other operational factors.

As a rule primary school transport routes are planned so that no eligible child will have more than 2.4 km, 1.5 miles, to travel to a pick-up point. Pupils living off the main route of a service are generally expected to make their own way or be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route. Home pick-ups were never envisaged as part of the school transport scheme as the cost involved on a nationwide level would be prohibitive.

The families residing in the areas referred to by the Deputy appear to be accommodated within the guidelines. It is not open to my Department to approve an extension of a service where it is satisfied that children have a level of service within the school transport guidelines and where the extension would involve additional cost. However, parents of eligible children may pay, subject to certain conditions, for a route extension themselves. Accordingly, should they so wish, they may consult with the local Bus Éireann office regarding arrangements for a payable extension.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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While Deputy Neville's question refers to a specific school, how recently was the whole scheme reviewed? I accept that each child cannot be picked up outside his or her front door. However, do the Department's rules take into account the new growth areas and the changes that have occurred? Was a review carried out to ensure the provision of the best possible service in 2005, as distinct from 15 years ago when population centres were different and different needs had to be serviced?

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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All these issues have been reviewed in recent years. While I am subject to correction on the date, I understand it was 2001 when a complete review was undertaken on distances and improvements on eligibility were made, allowing more people to avail of the service. The rules and regulations on distance have been made easier. The annual cost of providing school transport stands at €100 million a year. Up to 140,000 pupils are looked after on a daily basis on over 5,000 routes. Approximately 8,000 pupils with special needs are also looked after by the scheme. The scheme is reviewed on an ongoing basis. There have been provisions in recent years to improve eligibility where distance is concerned.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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The rigidity of the system can often prevent the solution of certain problems. I am not sure of the school referred to by Deputy Neville in his parliamentary question. However, recently, Deputy de Valera met with the principal of a school in County Limerick on a similar issue. If this is the school concerned, a free bus to it for children living in a certain area in Limerick which falls under the school's catchment area would solve their problem. Otherwise, their parents will have to transport them to the other side of Limerick city to receive schooling. All Members are aware of the problems with school places in Limerick city.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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The Minister of State will obviously be aware the catchment areas have not been reviewed since 1969. Will she undertake to carry out a simple review of the catchment areas and boundaries? Given the huge population shift that has taken place and the establishment of multi-denominational and Islamic schools and Gaelscoileanna, she might find they will have to be reviewed.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Sadly, there is nothing simple about the catchment areas debate, as I have pointed out. The question of catchment areas impacts on education policy throughout the Department. There would also have to be much discussion in regard to the building programme and so on. We have a very good service considering 140,000 students travel on a daily basis. There are 5,000 routes. The annual cost of the service is €110 million, yet only €6 million of that amount comes from charges parents or guardians must pay for the provision of that service. There is a particular provision to ensure children have an opportunity to avail of gaelscoileanna.