Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 508: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 576 of 24 October 2006 (details supplied), if the transport liaison officer has investigated the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38479/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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 his or her 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 chose 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 have to make their own way to the nearest pick up point within that catchment area. The pupils referred to by the Deputy in the details provided are availing of Catchment Boundary transport and are responsible for making their own way to the pick up point.