Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 513: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 1273 of 6 October 2009, he will ensure that the school bus serving the Narraghmore area of County Kildare stops at the new bus stop in the village of Narraghmore to collect the ten children from the village who are entitled to travel on the bus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35738/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the pupils in question have chosen to attend a school outside of their own catchment area. In that regard, they may only avail of concessionary/catchment boundary transport subject to the general rules of the scheme namely, they must be eligible for transport to the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which they reside; if catchment boundary transport is approved and spare seats are available, they must make their own way to the nearest pick up point outside of their own catchment area; no additional cost should be involved in re-routing or extending an existing service.

To pick up children from within their own catchment area, such as is proposed by the Deputy, would have national implications. In view of the concessionary nature of catchment boundary transport, which is not guaranteed, the pupils in Narraghmore will have to make their way to the boundary. I should add that the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme, including catchment boundaries, is due to be completed by the end of 2009.