Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 1071: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has received an application (details supplied) for the extension of a bus route to Knockbrack, Firies, Killarney, County Kerry; when a decision will be made on the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24266/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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For the purposes of the post-primary transport scheme, the country is divided into catchment areas, each of which has its own post-primary centre. The scheme is designed to ensure that pupils who live more than a certain distance from the school in whose catchment area they reside, called eligible pupils, can avail of transport to that school. Such eligible pupils are collected at various pick up points along the school bus route. Post-primary school transport routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 km to travel to a pick-up point, while also trying to minimise journey times in the interests of all passengers.

Eligible pupils who wish to attend a post-primary centre other than the centre serving the catchment area in which they reside may be allowed transport on a concessionary basis from within the catchment boundary of the centre attended. Such pupils are called catchment boundary pupils. This is subject to there being spare seats available on the service and provided no additional cost to the State is incurred.

I understand the eligible pupils to whom the Deputy refers would like the route to be arranged so they can be picked up at a point closer to their home. However, regard must be had to the need to minimise the journey time for all passengers, and the passengers concerned live within 3.2 km of the present pick up point.

I further understand that the other passengers to whom the Deputy refers are eligible for school transport within the catchment area in which they reside but have opted instead to attend a school in another catchment area and are being transported to that school on a concessionary basis. It would not be possible to facilitate those pupils with a pick up at a point within the catchment area in which they reside as this would be in breach of the terms of the school transport scheme.