Pat O'Neill (Fine Gael)

I thank Senator Whelan for sharing his time with me. I raised this matter on the Order of Business last week and Senator Cullinane also raised the same matter. I am concerned about choice. I agree with Senator Whelan on the need for an appeals process. If a family lives next to a big urban centre such as Kilkenny city with a wide choice of schools and school transport is available then that family has options. However, the new rules mean that a family living near a school must go to the nearest school. In these stringent economic times, families are using school transport to bring their children to school. Any extra expense of €250 is very difficult for an unemployed person and it means an extra payment of €7 per week. For instance, a child in fifth year will be allowed stay in the school transport system under the medical card system because they are a current student in a school but a sibling going into first year will be asked to pay €250 or else the parents will have to drive that child two and a half miles to pick up the bus somewhere else. This is a total of five miles per day and this could cost €7 per week when using a car. We are asking families who are unemployed to spend perhaps an extra €14 on school transport for their children.

Another issue arises in respect of county boundaries. We border Carlow on one side and some of the schools which are relatively close are actually in County Carlow. I know we are down on our luck in hurling at present but people in County Kilkenny see it as an issue if they have to send their children across the border to another county where they may not learn the skills of hurling as they would in a school in County Kilkenny. It is a parish issue and it is an issue of choice. An appeals system should be put in place so that a concession can be made in cases where there is not a great difference in distance between schools. The education of children is paramount.

I was involved with a school in Ballyhale where I was chairman of the board of management before I was elected to the Seanad. Ballyhale specialises in special needs and autism and Asperger's syndrome. A parent telephone me to say their child has been informed that the nearest school is St. Brigid's in Callan but Ballyhale is one kilometre further away. Their daughter has a learning disability. I am not saying St. Brigid's will not look after her but the natural choice for the parents would be Ballyhale because the father himself attended that school. Ballyhale would give the child the supports she needs. An appeals system would allow for this situation to be taken into consideration. It should be the case that learning supports should be in place in a school before a child with special needs is compelled to go on the bus. Choice is the main issue. I thank the Minister of State for his attendance and I thank Senator Whelan for raising this matter.