Written answers

Tuesday, 6 March 2012

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

8:00 pm

Photo of Tom FlemingTom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 198: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to address the cessation of the Forge Cross school pick-up point, Kilgarvan, County Kerry, which has been a designated school pick-up point for children for many years now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12773/12]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann is also responsible for designating the pick up and set down points to be used by their bus services. Occasionally, where Bus Éireann considers there is a risk to the safety of school children carried, to the safety of the service itself, or to the safety of other road users, it may become necessary to amend routes or pick up points on safety grounds. In these circumstances every effort is made to minimise any potential inconvenience to the families using the service. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

Bus Éireann has advised that the children referred to in the details supplied are availing of a school transport service within the guidelines of the scheme. Bus Éireann has further advised that upon reviewing conditions at Forge Cross for picking up children, the company decided that the arrangement posed a safety risk which could be resolved by making a minor change to the location of the pick-up point. A more suitable pick-up point located about half a kilometre away has been nominated for the purpose of safely picking up the children each morning instead. There is no change to the afternoon arrangements because the children can be set down safely on their own side of the road.

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