Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 491: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will reconsider her refusal to sanction a school bus service catering for the 34 pupils who require transportation between Celbridge and a school (details supplied) in Maynooth, County Kildare; her views on the fact that the school transport section of her Department accepted, following their visit to the school that use of the public transport system was not feasible for these students on safety grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26418/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

One of the main objectives of my Department's school transport scheme is to provide a basic level of service for children who live long distances from school, and who might otherwise experience difficulty in attending regularly.

As a general rule, special transport services are not established in areas where public scheduled bus services already exist. Eligible pupils in such cases are, however, facilitated with travel permits for public scheduled services.

Bus Éireann, which administers the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, was previously asked to submit reports to my Department in respect of the transport arrangements for pupils from the Celbridge area attending Gaelscoil Uí Fhiaich, Maynooth. In its response, Bus Éireann reported that a good public scheduled service exists between Celbridge and Maynooth, and that the use of the service by younger pupils would be on the basis of the general arrangements in place for pupils availing of public scheduled services in the greater Dublin area.

In view of the particular safety concerns outlined, however, my Department has requested Bus Éireann for an up-to-date report on the position.