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

Question 724: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20122/07]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, 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 her or his local post primary education centre.

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 local 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 Transport Liaison Officer for Co. Clare and Bus Éireann have advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy has been issued with a catchment boundary ticket for this service. However, I must emphasise the concessionary basis on which the ticket has been issued and the family is advised to liaise with Bus Éireann on a regular basis regarding the continued availability of catchment boundary seats.

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

Question 725: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the status of an application by a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20123/07]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, 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 her or his local post primary education centre.

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 local 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 Transport Liaison Officer for Co. Clare and Bus Éireann have advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy has been issued with a catchment boundary ticket for this service. However, I must emphasise the concessionary basis on which the ticket has been issued and the family is advised to liaise with Bus Éireann on a regular basis regarding the continued availability of catchment boundary seats.