Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 591: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department has received a submission for funding for the extension of a school bus service (details supplied) in County Kerry; if she will provide the necessary funding for this proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32540/05]

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

The Department of Education and Science has recently conveyed its decision to the relevant transport liaison officer. Under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme, routes are planned so that, in general, no pupil will have more than 3.2 km to travel to a pick-up point. Furthermore, where eligible pupils attend a school at a centre other than the post-primary centre which caters for the catchment area in which they live, they may be allowed the concession of transport from the catchment boundary of the centre attended, provided there are seats for them on a bus serving that centre.

Having considered the distances involved to the pick-up point for the children involved and the fact that some of the children are living outside of the catchment area concerned, the Department is satisfied that a re-routing of the bus service could not be justified in this case.