Written answers

Wednesday, 12 October 2011

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

7:00 pm

Photo of Sandra McLellanSandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 59: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the transport difficulties being currently experienced by pupils attending a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will investigate this representation and fast track their schools transport appeal application process. [28985/11]

Photo of Sandra McLellanSandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 60: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, in the case of a school (details supplied) in County Cork in which its union of parishes covers a catchment area of more than 400 square miles for the last 39 years, he will give details of his new policy and the way he came to his recent decision; and if he will outline the policy position in relation to pupils attending this minority school and accessing school transport particularly in view of the fact that they reside more than the 3.2 kilometres distance criteria but in this case are being denied transport because they are not deemed to be coming from a distinct locality. [28986/11]

Photo of Sandra McLellanSandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, in view of the fact that a school (details supplied) in County Cork and because of its broad catchment area relies heavily on school transport for its survival, he will review his decision to reinstate the school transport to pupils currently attending this school. [28988/11]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 60 and 62 together.

Changes in the School Transport Scheme were announced by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. One of the changes announced included an increase to ten in the minimum number of eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, required to establish or retain an individual school transport service. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport schemes on behalf of my Department, has advised that in this case, the number of applications from eligible pupils did not match the above requirement and consequently the service was withdrawn from the beginning of the current school year.

This minimum number requirement has been applied to all individual school transport services nationally from the commencement of the 2011/12 school year. As is currently the position, families of eligible pupils, for whom there is no school transport service available, may apply for a remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. It is essential to stress that the wider context within which this change is taking place, is a situation of the most serious financial difficulties. Under the four year recovery plan, there is a requirement to deliver savings of €17 million on the school transport budget and this measure is an integral part of this. I understand that the appeal referred to by the Deputy is to be considered by the School Transport Appeals Board at their next meeting which is scheduled for Thursday 20th October 2011.

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that there are 321 schools in County Cork, seven of the schools are multi-denominational, 20 schools are under Church of Ireland management and the rest are under Roman Catholic management and that this year, according to his own statistics on the web, out of the 15 schools in Cork that lost their transport, four were under Church of Ireland management. [28987/11]

Photo of Seán CroweSeán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the potential impact of a current interpretation of distinct locality on minority schools and rural Ireland, that is a service to convey a group of children whose homes are scattered points in a school district would not be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28989/11]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 63 together.

Changes in the School Transport Scheme were announced by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. One of the changes announced included an increase to ten in the minimum number of eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, required to establish or retain an individual school transport service. This minimum number requirement has been applied to all individual school transport services nationally from the commencement of the 2011/12 school year. As is currently the position, families of eligible pupils, for whom there is no school transport service available, may apply for a remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. Bus Éireann has advised that 11 schools in County Cork had services withdrawn under the minimum number requirement and three of these schools are under Church of Ireland management. A full list of schools in County Cork is available on my Department's website. It is essential to stress that the wider context within which this change is taking place, is a situation of the most serious financial difficulties. Under the four year recovery plan, there is a requirement to deliver savings of €17 million on the school transport budget and this measure is an integral part of this.

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