Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 570: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the situation in relation to her commitment to parents in the Ballybrown, Mungret and Raheen areas of County Limerick that a school bus service will be made available for first year students to a school (details supplied) in County Limerick. [34225/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have decided to commission an area development plan for Limerick city and its environs. This will cover educational provision in the city and surrounding area, factoring in the existing education provision in Shannon, Askeaton, Pallaskenry, Croom and Newport.

This process ensures that issues regarding school provision and enrolments are decided only after a transparent consultation process with interested parties including parents, patrons, boards of management, staff and others.

The area development plan for Limerick city and its environs will examine the situation that has pertained in relation to enrolments generally in the city schools and he pattern of actual and proposed new housing developments in the greater Limerick area, together with work travel patterns highlighted by the census.

It is envisaged that the exercise will be not be fully completed for two years. While this process is under way, I have decided to continue with the provision of the existing school transport services for students. This will mean that first year students currently attending Pallaskenry can avail of the school transport service. My Department is contacting the transport liaison officer for County Limerick and Bus Éireann to make the necessary arrangements.