School bus area review may cause more problems than solutions, O’Keeffe told

THE review of 39-year-old school bus catchment areas could cause more problems than it solves, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has been warned by his officials.

The review is promised in the Programme for Government agreed between Fianna Fáil, the Green party and the Progressive Democrats.

For many years, problems have arisen for dozens of families, mostly in rural Ireland, whose children have not qualified for free transport to their chosen school because they live outside its designated catchment area.

The boundaries are practically unchanged since they were first drawn when the school transport system was set up in 1969, despite the country’s major demographic changes and the opening of many new second-level schools since then.

But in a briefing document supplied to Mr O’Keeffe when he took office in May, Department of Education staff have warned that the review will not be without its complexities.

“While changes to catchment areas may benefit some schools, they could also mean a reduction in the size of the catchment areas for others.

“Where the department has changed catchment areas in the past, as for example when a new school has been built, there has been considerable anxiety about the negative effects on enrolments on the part of existing schools losing some of their catchment areas,” the briefing said.

“Boards of management and principals are likely to oppose any change of boundary configuration which they perceive to be to their disadvantage. Obviously, any general review has the potential to generate more widespread disquiet.”

It is also believed changes might have negative effect on student numbers and, therefore, the viability of smaller, rural, second-level schools.

Mr O’Keeffe has been advised that the department intends to make substantial progress this year on the boundaries review, for which it is already developing terms.

More than 135,000 children are taken to school by the school transport system during school terms, at a cost this year of €175m. The system is part of the responsibilities of Seán Haughey, who is a minister of state at the department.

The Government increased the charges for children who are not eligible for free access to school buses by around 40% earlier this year, with the maximum payable by any family rising from €107 to €150 per term.

A review of the school bus catchment boundaries initiated by the Oireachtas Education Committee 18 months ago attracted hundreds of submissions and was to have been reconvened by the new committee appointed after last summer’s general election.

However, that work has been set aside since department officials outlined progress on their review in January, with a promise to bring the proposed terms of reference to the committee before it begins.

In her submission to the committee, Children’s Ombudsman Emily Logan said the system needed to be overhauled as it was affecting the rights of some children to an education in its current format.

She received more than 130 complaints in about 18 months about problems with eligibility for school buses and other issues around school transport.