Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I warmly welcome the Minister of State to the House. Any time I have made contact with his office he has been more than forthcoming in facilitating a prompt and speedy response to communications on this matter, and other matters, and in facilitating meetings with parents, stakeholders and county councillors. They were impressed and they appreciate that the Minister of State gave up his time and did not delegate that function to anybody else but rather oversaw it himself. I acknowledge that because it is important.

I welcome the Minister of State's comprehensive report today. I particularly note that he stated that, having reviewed the position, no school service will be withdrawn for the coming year. That is also to be welcomed. The Minister of State said that he is reviewing the School Transport Appeals Board. It would be interesting to have some feedback on that, once he has reviewed it, and to see what the review recommends. It is interesting that the Minister of State said in his opening remarks that this scheme was first established in 1968. He began by mentioning equality of access to school. I will cite a particular case which I have raised with the Minister of State's office before. It is an issue which Councillor Nicholas Crossan of Donegal County Council raises with me. It is about a particular family whose children are at post-primary school level. It is a family of three and its oldest child had gone on to a school which was not the closest school to their home. There was a difference of approximately 1 km between two schools, one in Buncrana and one in Carndonagh.There are two routes. It is important to give an example to try to illustrate what I am saying. The family have chosen to send their three children to the school in Buncrana. There is a kilometre in the difference in the distance to the two schools. The school in Buncrana is the family's choice. We talk so much about choices in education. The choice may be made for a range of reasons, including ethos, disability and special needs. We have to treat everyone equally, but the family in question have been refused. I understand that to be eligible under the scheme, one must be within a distance of 4.8 km. I also understand that if one has a medical card and attends the nearest school, the service is free. If, however, one has a medical card and attends the school of one's choice farther down the road, it is not free. If one has no medical card and attends the nearest school, one must pay €350. What on earth are we doing in this day and age charging people to attend a school? Why are we talking about our commitment to invigorating and supporting rural communities if this is occurring?

I happen to live in Dún Laoghaire in south County Dublin. There are 15 national schools nearby and certainly eight or nine secondary schools, be they private, single-sex, multidenominational, of no denomination or Educate Together. I am not complaining, but people around the country do not have these choices. It is really important to acknowledge this.

I spoke to somebody in the location in question who told me that they were Church of Ireland and that their child could avail of the service for free. As I am Church of Ireland and a member of the Church of Ireland tradition, I have no difficulty in making this point. Church of Ireland children can travel for free based on their religious background and choice. That surely cannot be right in a republic in 2017 and I would like to hear what the Minister of State has to say about it. If we are talking about choice based on tradition, different models of education or younger children wishing to attend the school of their older siblings, we surely need to support those concerned, but the scheme is not flexible enough. I accept what the Minister of State is saying in that regard. He has inherited a scheme, but it is not flexible enough. It is important that there be equal access to education and that we respect parents' choices.

The Minister for Education and Skills was here recently talking about special status in the context of the baptismal arrangements for schools. Again, the pupils associated with the Church of Ireland, of which I am a member, have received preferential treatment and I am not afraid to say it. Is this right in a republic in 2017? I suggest it is not. All people should be treated and respected equally and given equal access to health, education and community services, as well as every other service in the State.

The payment of the family who have decided to send their children to a school 1 km farther than the nearest school, that is, in Buncrana rather than Carndonagh, is capped at €650, the maximum figure. Why are we asking people in isolated communities in rural areas to pay to gain access to a State school or the State education system? It is fundamentally wrong. I accept that considerable money is being spent, but funds have to be put in place to support families who wish to have their children educated. Ideally, there would be community schools open to all, embracing all traditions, cultures and backgrounds. That, however, is not the reality on the ground, particularly in rural areas. I acknowledge that I have been making broad statements, but this is a genuine issue. We cannot make a case for one child over another.

With regard to the situation in Buncrana-Carndonagh, is there any room for change based on road infrastructure, the fact that school buses have not been able to travel on some roads for up to two months in the winter and the fact that families want to continue to send children to where their older siblings go to school and where they have built relationships in order that they may all come home together? People, including parents, are flexible. Are we seriously saying that in 2017, under a Fine Gael-Independent Alliance Government, the priority is to rebuild, consolidate and support rural communities? If so - I do not doubt the Minister of State's commitment in that regard - we need to start in the areas of health, education and community services. This issue needs to be addressed in the interests of fairness and equality.