asked the Minister for Education if she will arrange to have the children of families who reside in the town and of Rossanean and who are the furthest away from Killeentierna national school, County Kerry included under the public transport system.

Children from the Rossanean area do not qualify for free transport to Killeentierna national school as they reside nearer to Coolick national school.

Is the Minister aware that there is a mountain between the town and of Rossanean and Coolick national school, and that it would be unfair to ask the children to walk over that mountain road to Coolick from the town and of Rossanean? Is the Minister aware of the local circumstances?

I am not aware of the local circumstances but I am aware of the regulations governing school transport. The prision of transport for the children mentioned in the question to Killeentierna national school since they reside nearer to Coolick would be in contravention of those regulations. I cannot go further than that.

Is the Minister aware that children living nearer to Kilsarcow national school than to Killeentierna national school have been granted free transport to Killeentierna? Why can the children of Rossanean not be granted a similar concession?

I am not aware that children nearer to Kilsarcow national school have transport to Killeentierna but I am aware that in the building of Killeentierna national school there was the understanding locally that there would be the amalgamation of a number of schools in the area including Kilsarcow and on that basis it is possible that transport is being provided to Killeentierna though I am not aware of that being the case.