Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if 23 students from Blackwater, County Wexford, who have already been deemed eligible by County Wexford Vocational Educational Committee will be deemed eligible for school transport; the reasoning for same not being eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2690/06]

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason students from Blackwater, County Wexford were refused school transport; the catchment area map the Department referred to when making their decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2712/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 178 together.

The Department's school transport section is satisfied on the basis of the catchment area map held in the Department, which is the definitive map, that the children in question are not fully eligible for transport to schools in Wexford town. Furthermore, Bus Éireann has informed the Department of Education and Science that there are not enough spare seats available on the buses to facilitate the pupils in question with catchment boundary transport to Wexford town.

A number of families from the Blackwater area recently appealed the Department's decision to the independent school transport appeals board. The board upheld the Department's decision in the matter. The school transport appeals board is independent of the Department of Education and Science and it would not be appropriate for me to intervene in cases which have been considered by the board.