Michael Brennan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I call on the Minister for Education and Science to clarify the access to school transport arrangements currently in place for students from Limerick city catchment area, Mungret and Ballybrown, who wish to attend the Salesian college in Pallaskenry, County Limerick and I ask that the status quo be maintained.

Much confusion has arisen in recent times regarding changes in the transport system. The school transport section of the Department gave a commitment in February 2001 that the status quo would be maintained pending a review of the current arrangements and of the catchment boundary situation as pointed out by the school transport section of the Department at the time. The Department also stated that those involved should appreciate that this would involve extensive discussions with the relevant interested parties and that it would contact them in due course. Parents are confused as to the current arrangements and as to what arrangements are in place for the next school term. I ask the Minister to make a commitment to maintain the status quo.

Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it affords me, on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, the opportunity of outlining to the House the position regarding school transport to Pallaskenry post-primary centre from the Limerick city catchment area.

The school transport scheme was established to cater for children in rural areas who, if living a long distance from school, might otherwise have difficulty in attending school regularly. Approximately 140,000 primary and post-primary pupils use the school transport scheme on a regular basis. The scheme is administered by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. Approximately 2,900 vehicles are used to provide the service, covering around 5,000 routes. The co-ordination of school transport provision under the terms of the scheme at post-primary level is the responsibility of the transport liaison officer of the relevant vocational education committee.

To be eligible for transport under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme a pupil must, among other things, live three miles or more from his or her appropriate post-primary education centre. Those eligible may be transported to the post-primary centre which caters for the catchment area in which they live. Pupils may be allowed the concession of transport, otherwise known as catchment boundary transport, to a centre other than the post-primary centre catering for the catchment area in which they live, provided there are spare seats available on the bus after all eligible pupils to that centre have been catered for. In this particular case, pupils residing in the Limerick city catchment area may avail of catchment boundary transport to Pallaskenry post-primary centre, subject to the specific terms of the school transport scheme as previously outlined.

While it is the prerogative of parents to send children to the school of their choice, it is not the object of the school transport scheme to facilitate them in exercising that choice. The Department will liaise with the transport liaison officer of County Limerick VEC regarding any difficulties that may arise through the implementation of the terms of the school transport scheme.

I assure Senator Brennan that I will bring his views to the Minister at the first available opportunity and will request that the Department liaise with the transport liaison officer of County Limerick VEC at the earliest possible date. I hope there will be no delay in ensuring that this happens. I thank Senator Brennan for raising this matter, which is important to him. Although neither the Minister nor the Minister of State was available to take the Adjournment debate, I assure him I will communicate the details of the case to them within a matter of days.

Michael Brennan (Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State for his encouraging response.