Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 318: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason school transport to a school (details supplied) in County Mayo has been altered to the disadvantage of students from the Hollymount area; the further reason a change was introduced from the previous pick-up points and changed to a new pick-up point; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this pick-up point is five miles distance from the previous pick-up point; if this situation will be rectified and a more acceptable and appropriate system of transport available for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39593/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's post-primary school transport scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if he or she resides 4.8 kilometres or more from her or his local post-primary education centre, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which he or she lives. The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area in which they reside.

However, children who are fully eligible for transport to the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which they reside may apply for transport on a concessionary basis to a post-primary centre outside of their own catchment area, otherwise known as catchment boundary transport. These children can only be facilitated if spare seats are available on the bus after all other eligible children travelling to their 'own' post-primary centre have been catered for. Such children must make their own way either to the catchment boundary or to the nearest pick up point within that catchment area.

The pupils in question who are enrolled in the school referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied have been facilitated with catchment boundary transport to another post-primary centre. It has recently been established, however, that the pick-up point for these pupils was located within the catchment area in which they reside. This is contrary to the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme. As a result, the pick-up point was changed by Bus Éireann to a point which is now within the catchment area being attended.