Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 694: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the details of the catchment boundary review that took place on the establishment of a school (details supplied) in West Cork; the catchment arrangements between schools in Bantry and the new school; and the way the Dunbeacon Goleen area near Schull was not included in the catchment area of the school when it was established. [27630/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As has previously been advised to the Deputy catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960's and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. In particular in cases such as Schull where a new postprimary school is established in an area where previously there was none, it has been the practice as part of the discussions and arrangements concerned with the establishment of the school to review the existing adjacent catchment areas in order to establish the appropriate catchment and feeder primary schools for the proposed new post-primary school.

My Department has been unable to locate any records of those discussions but will pursue the matter to establish if any records are held locally either by the school or the VEC committee.

In any event it is evident that since the inception of the Schull post-primary school that school transport has not been provided on the basis that the Dunbeacon Goleen is within the Bantry catchment area.

My Department will write directly to the Deputy with any information obtained from its further inquiries in relation to any records that may exist of the discussion held at the time.