John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 797: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason post primary schools canvass pupils from national schools outside their school transport catchment area when there are only limited concessionary seats available; if she will ensure that potential pupils are fully informed regarding the school transport difficulties that arise outside their catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20765/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Schools are not encouraged to enrol from outside their catchment areas because the cumulative effect of so doing over a number of years can impact negatively on pupils from within the catchment area who are entitled, as of right, to a place in a particular school. It also invariably impacts negatively on the school or schools to which these pupils should rightly attend and in which considerable capital investment has been made for this purpose. It is a matter for all school authorities, in the context of their enrolment policies, to ensure that such situations do not arise.

The school transport 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. Children who wish to travel to a school outside their catchment area can only be facilitated on a concessionary basis if spare seats are available on a given route after all other eligible children have been catered for. It is important that parents are also aware that the situation in relation to such concessionary transport can change from term to term.