Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1106: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children in a village (details supplied) in County Mayo being picked up by school transport; the reason a route is being used where there are no children; and the further reason the Department is paying for transport along a route where there are no children. [24679/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1117: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason her Department has a school bus taking a particular route (details supplied) in County Mayo where there are no children to be picked up. [24748/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1106 and 1117 together.

Bus Éireann administers the school transport scheme, including the planning of bus routes, on behalf of my Department. In general, Bus Éireann plans routes in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 2.4 kilometres to travel to a pick-up-point. Pupils living off the route of a service are generally expected to make their own way to convenient pick-up points along the route. Home pick-ups were never envisaged as being part of the school transport scheme as the cost involved at a national level would be prohibitive.

I understand the family referred to by the Deputy resides 1.1 kilometres from the bus service route to the school concerned. This is considered to be a reasonable level of service within the context of the general operation of the scheme and, as there would be additional costs involved in re-routing the current service, it is not proposed to sanction a change of route.

I should point out, however, that there is a facility available whereby parents of eligible children who are accommodated within my Department's school transport guidelines may pay to have a bus route changed. Payment in respect of such payable extensions should generally be made to the local Bus Éireann office in advance of each school term.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1107: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the figure awarded to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo to pay for transport to bring their child to school will be increased. [24680/05]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1131: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason children in County Mayo are being refused school transport following the closure of a primary school (details supplied). [24823/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1107 and 1131 together.

I understand the family referred to by the Deputy reside 5.4 miles from Drumslide national school and that there is no service operating to that school from their area. I further understand that the pupil concerned previously attended Shranamonragh national school and after the closure of this school in June moved to Drumslide national school.

In cases where families are considered to live remote from the main body of pupils on a particular school transport service, as the cost involved in extending the service may be prohibitive, my Department offers grant aid towards the cost of private transport arrangements.

My Department has offered the family concerned a grant of €4.20 per day, which is the maximum rate of grant payable in this case, towards the cost of private transport arrangements from their home to Drumslide national school.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1108: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if school transport will be provided to children (details supplied) in County Mayo. [24681/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's school transport scheme, transport may be provided in respect of catchment boundary pupils, subject to there being room available on a service after all fully eligible children have been accommodated, and provided there is no additional cost involved by way of extending a service, or introducing a larger bus.

My Department recently received a report from the transport liaison officer for County Mayo, confirming that the pupils to whom the Deputy refers reside within the Ballina catchment area. They are, however, in receipt of catchment boundary transport to Crossmolina and they have been issued with tickets.