Máire Hoctor (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Hoctor for tabling this matter on the Adjournment and I welcome the opportunity to outline to the House my Department's position on school transport to Boher national school, Killaloe, County Clare.

One of the main objectives of the school transport scheme is to provide a basic level of service for pupils who live long distances from school and who might otherwise experience difficulty in attending regularly. In order to be eligible for transport under the terms of the primary school transport scheme, pupils must reside 3.2 km or more from, and be attending, their nearest national school, as determined by my Department. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, it is not the objective of the school transport scheme to facilitate that choice.

My Department has no objection to pupils availing of concessionary fare-paying transport to a school other than their nearest, provided a written evidence of agreement form is obtained from the management authorities of the pupil's nearest school. However, tickets for concessionary fare payers are issued only if spare seats are available on a bus after all fully eligible pupils have been accommodated. This concession is also subject to no extra State cost being incurred by way of extending or altering the route of an existing service. Continuation of transport will depend on the availability of spare seats on the service.

On 14 December 2006 my Department received a request for the establishment of a school bus service from a parents' representative of children attending Boher national school. The main case being put forward is that these children cannot be accommodated in the school in Ballina, which is their nearest national school, because it is oversubscribed.

My Department wrote to the parents' representative on 15 December 2006 requesting details of the ages and addresses of the pupils involved. A list of over 40 pupils was returned. This list was made up of pupils ranging in age from 4 to 11 years. My Department subsequently received representations from Deputy Hoctor regarding the issue of transport for the pupils concerned. The list of pupils has been forwarded to Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, as it is necessary in the first instance to establish each pupil's eligibility for school transport and the availability of existing transport. My Department's school transport section will examine the matter further on receipt of the Bus Éireann report and in consultation with the school planning section.

I thank the Deputy again for affording me this opportunity to explain the position to the House.