Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will approve school transport for all of the children in the Goresbridge area of County Kilkenny whose parents were given assurances by her Department that no child would be disadvantaged by the closure of a school (details supplied) and allow their parents the choice to educate their children in various schools in Kilkenny by providing additional school transport to accommodate the pupils concerned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25525/07]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Pupils residing in the Goresbridge area, where the school referred to by the Deputy was located, are eligible for school transport to Borris Post Primary Centre provided they meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Post Primary School Transport Scheme. It is not the practice under the terms of the post-primary scheme to facilitate parents who 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 County Kilkenny has advised that services are operating to capacity. Parents should continue to liaise with their local Bus Éireann office regarding availability of spare seating in the future.