Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties being experienced by school bus users, in an area (details supplied), due to serious overcrowding on the route with 70-75 students on a 57 seater bus; if she will provide a second bus on this route; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6130/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under existing regulations which are a matter for the Department of Transport the licensed carrying capacity of vehicles engaged in school transport is based on a ratio of three children to every two adult seats.

The pupils to whom the Deputy refers are accommodated on a 53 seater adult bus, which is licensed to carry 79 children. Bus Éireann has advised that 73 tickets have been issued for this service. As the service in question can adequately cater for the number of eligible pupils offering for transport from the area concerned, my Department is satisfied that a second bus is not warranted.

Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will recommend the inclusion of a specific area in a primary school bus route where five school going children reside (details supplied). [6132/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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A minimum of seven eligible pupils residing in a distinct locality are required for the establishment of a school bus service. My Department has been advised by Bus Éireann that the pupils referred to in the question are residing in a separate distinct locality from the area already covered by the existing service. As the minimum number of eligible pupils required for the establishment of a service has not been met in this case, it is not open to my Department to sanction a new bus route.