Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 33: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position in relation to the reconfiguration of the school catchment boundaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26468/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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By way of general background information, catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post primary education in the late 1960s. For planning purposes, the country was divided into about 300 geographic districts, each with several primary schools feeding into a post primary education centre with one or more post primary schools. The intention was that these defined districts would facilitate the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. They also facilitated the provision of a nationwide school transport service, enabling children from remote areas to get to their nearest school.

A Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme, including catchment boundaries, is currently being undertaken by my Department and is due to be completed by the end of the year.

The Steering Committee of the Review is looking at the original objectives of the scheme, whether these objectives remain valid today, the extent to which the objectives are being achieved and whether there are possibilities for economies or efficiencies that would improve the value for money of the scheme. In this context, the review is also looking at fundamental issues such as catchment boundaries, which is in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government.

The review, when completed, will be published and submitted to the Oireachtas Select Committee on Education and Science.