asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the consequences for the school transport service in rural and disadvantaged areas of his decision to raise the age of admission to national schools.

15.

asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the decision to raise the admission age for pupils attending primary schools, he will state whether any changes will be made in the rules and regulations governing the school transport service in rural areas.

16.

asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that many children of approximately five years will lose their right to transport to national schools as a result of the admission age to national schools being raised and that their areas will not have the required number to qualify for transport; and if, in view of the fact that some of these children will have to walk from two to three-and-a-half miles, he will now lower the qualifying number for a transport service.

17.

asked the Minister for Education the number of children who will be deprived of school transport as a result of raising the age of admission to national schools; and if his Department have carried out a survey on the matter.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 17, inclusive, together.

I do not anticipate that the decision to raise the age of admission to primary schools will affect school transport services in a way which would be educationally disadvantageous or necessitate major adjustments in relation to its administration. In view of the resolutions adopted at the special congress of the INTO on 14 November 1981 that congress declares that the organisation shall seek a declaration in the courts in relation to the amendment of the regulation govering the enrolment of pupils in national schools, I am afraid that it is not open to me to make further observations on the subject matter of these questions from the Deputies.

Will the Minister review the qualifying number of ten children to establish a school transport service? At the moment we have a ridiculous situation because a child of four years can be carried to the school but would not be admitted until he is four-and-a-half years of age.

I explained in the latter part of my reply that because I have been given notice of an intention to seek a declaration in the courts I do not think I should be induced to make statements in relation to the matter which might come to be regarded as prejudical to the defence which the State might put forward to any case which might be taken.

In view of the Minister's public statements that he is about to introduce pre-school facilities, will he state if he has chosen rural centres for pre-schools and if free transport will be available to those rural pre-school centres?

I hope the Government will be in a position shortly to make their specific intentions known in relation to pre-school activities.

Will the Minister say whether free transport will be available to rural children attending pre-school centres? Otherwise the centres will not be of any use.

I am not in a position to give specific details in relation to the package of intentions which the Government will put before the public shortly.

In the first part of his reply the Minister said that as a result of circular 24/81 he did not think it would make any difference to school transport and that he did not anticipate that any child would be educationally disadvantaged. Is that the substance of the first part of his reply?

I will repeat it. I said:

I do not anticipate that the decision to raise the age of admission to primary schools will affect school transport services in a way which would be educationally disadvantageous or necessitate major adjustments in relation to its administration.

If there is not to be educational disadvantage, is it not true that the Minister will have to provide transport to rural pre-schools?

As I have said, I am not in a position to give any indication prior to the Government announcement of their specific intentions in the matter of pre-schooling activities. My responsibility is in relation to education.

If there is to be no educational disadvantage, and the Minister says there will not be, is it not implied that pre-schools will be available in rural Ireland and that the children will be transported free to them? In other words, will there be pre-school centres and will there be free transport to them? Otherwise there will be educational disadvantage.

I have already replied to that question.

Ceist 18.

Could I ask the Minister——

We are getting to Deputy Kitt's question now. We have gone on to the next question.