The complaint:
A complaint relating to school transport was brought by a parent of a child, on behalf of that child and a group of 22 other children. The complaint relates to the provision of school transport and the issue of an alleged change of the catchment boundary between two areas in the county of Wexford. The children reside very close to this particular boundary.
In 2005 the parent expressed concern that the relevant catchment boundary on maps held by both the Local VEC Office and the Department of Education and Science individually were different. Therefore any decisions being made based on these maps were incorrect.
Investigation
Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960s. For planning purposes the country was divided into geographic districts, each with several primary schools feeding into a post–primary education centre. These defined districts also facilitated the provision of a national school transport system.
The catchment boundaries for schools are defined by the Planning Section of the Department of Education and Science. The school transport system is underpinned by those same maps. The School Transport Scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Science (School Transport Section). Bus Éireann is responsible for planning routes, employing bus drivers, collecting fares and ensuring compliance with safety regulations and insurance. The VEC is responsible for administering the School Transport Scheme in Co. Wexford for all the post-primary centres. The VEC assists Bus Éireann by acting as Transport Liaison Officer (TLO) for the county.
There are two types of ticket for pupils wishing to avail of the School Transport Scheme:
• Fully Eligible tickets for pupils who reside 4.8km or more from a secondary school in their catchment boundary area; and
• Concessionary tickets for those who reside 4.8km or more from a school in another area. These are known as catchment boundary tickets.
Students with Fully Eligible status are prioritised over those who have catchment boundary status. To obtain a ticket, parents complete an application form which is signed by the relevant school principal and then forwarded to the Transport Liaison Officer (TLO) for their county.
In 2005 the catchment boundary in question was different on the individual maps of both the local VEC Transport Liaison Officer and Bus Éireann. The differences in the boundaries were extremely significant when viewed in the context that their exact function is to be used as a key criterion in the application for school transport.
The issue of which was the correct map to be used in 2005 could have been determined conclusively if the Planning Section of the Department of Education and Science had furnished the Ombudsman for Children’s Office with a copy of a master map to include all catchment boundaries which was identical to that held by the relevant Bus Éireann office or that which was in place in the Local VEC office in 2005, or as near to identical in so much as the variation was negligible.
The Department of Education and Science did not supply a map to meet this standard as required. The map provided to this Office by the Planning Section in June 2006:
1. is different to what is currently being used by Bus Éireann and the VEC;
2. is questionable as to its suitability as it appears to be incomplete;
3. appears to be a large scale map scaled on a ratio of approximately 1:62500 and, as such, does not provide the required detail to administer such a scheme effectively and accurately; and
4. contains excessively thick boundaries for the purposes of clarity and accuracy.
Findings
The Office found that the combined actions of the Department of Education and Science, Bus Éireann and the VEC in relation to the implementation of the School Transport Scheme in this particular area are based on undesirable administrative practice and are contrary to fair or sound administration.
Throughout this investigation there have been instances where maps have been traced and copied resulting in variations of the original. This Office finds that each subsequent differing map is a defacto revision of catchment boundary areas. In the light of current technological advances in digital mapping and geo-computation which allow for an extremely high level of accuracy with respect to exact location and the ability to produce accurate copies, any resolution to the mapping problems to be undertaken by the various stakeholders should involve consultation with suitable experts in this area.
The Department of Education and Science is ultimately responsible for the School Transport Scheme. The absence of an adequate monitoring system has led to successive variations of the maps occurring. The evolution of the maps held by Bus Éireann and the VEC went largely unchecked until the events of 2005.
Recommendations
The Ombudsman for Children recommends that the following actions take place:
– School bus transport to be provided for the 23 children who had been deemed Fully Eligible by the VEC in October 2005 to attend school in the Wexford post-primary catchment area. This transport arrangement is to remain in place for the duration of their schooling.
– The current 2008 school bus transport arrangement with respect to the children of this area to remain in place pending the outcome of the mapping review as outlined below.
– The Department of Education and Science to undertake and complete a nationwide review of the mapping procedure with respect to the post-primary catchment boundary areas.
– This review to take place within a reasonable time frame and have due regard to best practice in the area of geo-computation and digital mapping.
Response
The Department of Education and Science has accepted the key principles contained in the investigation statement and the need for a nationwide review of the mapping procedure with respect to post-primary catchment boundary areas. The issue of catchment boundaries is to be considered in the Value for Money review of the School Transport Scheme which is to be completed by end of 2009.
In direct response to the recommendations contained in the investigation statement, the Department has agreed that the following interim arrangements take place pending the outcome of the Value for Money review.
The existing school transport arrangements will remain in place with respect of:
– the 23 children at the centre of the complaint a number of whom continue to avail of the service;
– the children currently availing of the current 2008/2009 school bus transport arrangements in this area; and
– any additional children from the same area who present for school transport provision to local post-primary centres.
Posted in: Investigations Transport