Children judged 100 yards too close for transport to school

The Department of Education and Science refused a young brother and sister free school transport to their local national school on the grounds that their family lived about 100 yards outside the scope of the Department's Primary School Transport Scheme.

The refusal was made despite evidence from the parents of the children that the Department's measurements were wrong, and that they did qualify for the scheme, under which qualifying pupils must live at least two miles from school.

According to the Office of the Ombudsman, which investigated the case, Bus Éireann measured the distance between the school entrance and the family's driveway at just over 1.9 miles.

A further door-to-door measurement by the bus company added another 40 yards to the distance, which still put it under the two-mile threshold.

Using a calibrated wheel, however, the family measured the distance at 2.026 miles, and they informed the Department of this result. However, the Department said it accepted Bus Éireann's measurements and, accordingly, refused the pupils free transport on the school bus.

In his latest report, published yesterday, the Ombudsman said he requested the Department to obtain an independent measurement in the case, and to apply this procedure in any similar cases in the future.

The Department responded by saying that, in view of the length of time involved and in order to avoid further distress to the family, their measurement would be accepted, and the children would be deemed fully eligible for school transport.