Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some pupils for whom school transport tickets have been purchased seldom or never actually use the school bus service and that school bus seats which are consequently vacant cannot be availed of by pupils from outside a catchment area even if they have no alternative transport to school; her views on introducing a system whereby spare capacity arising from non-use of the school bus system by qualified pupils who have purchased tickets can be allocated on an [i]ad hoc[/i] basis to concessionary pupils who wish to avail of the school bus service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23370/07]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is aware, since the phasing out of the three for two seating arrangement on school buses, that vacant seats, where they arise, are now more conspicuous than heretofore. My Department is obviously concerned that some parents would reserve seats for their children and then not make full use of these seats.

In circumstances where a complaint of this nature is received Bus Éireann arranges to monitor the situation. Those who are identified as using the school transport services on an irregular basis can be asked to surrender their tickets and make alternative transport arrangements, in order to allow their seats to be reallocated to other families in accordance with the terms of the school transport schemes. Bus Éireann rely on the co-operation and goodwill of parents to release seats for the benefit of others in these circumstances.

If the Deputy has precise information which may assist in identifying those who appear not to be using their seats on a regular basis, my Department will be pleased to have the matter investigated.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware from my reply to Parliamentary Question Number 124 of 11 October 2007, that subject to availability, the most that can be offered in this case is catchment boundary transport. However, the Transport Liaison Officer for Co. Limerick and Bus Éireann have advised that the transport service in question is operating to capacity. The families in question should continue to liaise with Bus Éireann regarding the availability of catchment boundary seats in the future.