Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

This, all these incursions taking places on the border, sounds dramatic but, in fairness to Senator O'Reilly, I am familiar with this case. I thank him for raising the matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the general position regarding post-primary school transport and, in particular, the change of pick-up point at Latton.

The Senator will be aware that the provision of school transport is a massive logistical operation involving the transportation by Bus Éireann of over 125,000 children using over 6,000 routes each day to primary and post-primary schools, including over 8,000 children with special educational needs.

Under the terms of the Department of Education and Science post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides 4.8 km or more from his or her local post-primary education centre, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which he or she lives.

The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area in which they reside. However, children who are eligible for transport to the post-primary centre in which they reside, may apply for transport on a concessionary basis to a post-primary centre outside their own catchment area - otherwise known as catchment boundary transport. I should emphasise, however, that these children can only be facilitated if spare seats are available on the bus after all other eligible children travelling to the post-primary centre in which they live have been catered for. Children availing of catchment boundary transport must make their own way to the nearest pick-up point within that catchment area.

The specific case raised by the Senator involves two catchment areas, namely Cootehill and Ballybay. Traditionally, children from the Cootehill catchment area availing of catchment boundary transport to Ballybay Community College travelled to a pick-up point known as Five Crosses, which is located within the Ballybay catchment area. In the past, Bus Éireann considered the pick-up point at Five Crosses to be safe.

I emphasise that my Department's position on matters in connection with the safety of pick-up points is that they are a matter solely for Bus Éireann which operates the scheme on behalf of my Department. Bus Éireann, at its absolute discretion, implements changes on safety grounds where this is deemed necessary. It is a matter of policy generally that the integrity of the catchment area of each school is respected. Services provided under the school transport scheme do not, as a rule, pick up children in a neighbouring catchment area. In exceptional circumstances, Bus Éireann has been obliged for operational reasons and on safety grounds to make a minor encroachment across a boundary, either temporarily or permanently which has taken place in this instance.

In line with well established Bus Éireann procedures concerning ongoing reviews of the safety of pick-up points, a detailed assessment of the case was conducted. Bus Éireann has confirmed to the Department that the pick-up point at Five Crosses is now considered unsafe for use because there is a hazard to school children and other road users. As a consequence, a decision was made by Bus Éireann to move the pick-up point to a more suitable location for this purpose at Latton church, less than 1 km away from the old pick-up point at Five Crosses. This new pick-up point is also less than 1 km inside the Cootehill catchment area. This means that currently there are two buses picking up children at Latton church, one bringing children to Ballybay community college, which is in the Ballybay catchment area, and the other bringing children to St. Aidan's comprehensive school, which is in the Cootehill catchment area. This point is considered safe by Bus Éireann because there is ample room for parents to park their cars while waiting on the bus.

The location of a new pick up point is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. The Department of Education and Science has no input, beyond taking the boundary issue into account if it is feasible from a safety perspective. Bus Éireann continues to examine the situation and the relevant transport liaison officers will be advised when a final decision has been taken.

The value for money review of the school transport scheme, including catchment boundaries, is being finalised and when completed will be published and sent to the Select Committee on Education and Science. I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The issue is being actively examined in consultation with my Department and I expect a decision will be finalised shortly.