Wallace gets School Bus for Curragha Students
Further to ongoing representations by Minister Wallace, the Department of Education and Science have informed her that they are prepared to approve the change in the Ratoath College catchment area sought by Minister Wallace through the Meath VEC. This change will provide the critical minimum requirement of seven eligible students to provide a school bus for students travelling from Curragha.
Curragha originally had six eligible students and research by Minister Wallace showed that unless the boundary was changed there would not be the required seven eligible students for a Curragha bus.
Following agreement by the Board of Management of Ashbourne Community School to the revision of the Ratoath Catchment area, Peter Kierans CEO of Meath VEC requested approval from the Department of Education and Science to confirm the new catchment area.
The Department of Education and Science advised the VEC that it was not their intention to review any particular catchment area in isolation and as a result a review of the Ratoath catchment area would not be carried out but would form part of an overall review in the future.
Following that news, Mary Wallace met directly with her colleagues in the Department and explained the exceptional situation involved. As a result of this meeting it was confirmed that the Dept would re-consider the review and this week they have confirmed that they are prepared to approve the change..
Minister Wallace stated “ This is fantastic news for a number of students from Curragha who were living outside the original school catchment area and for the six students who needed a minimum of seven in order to have a bus. Overall, approximately 14 students are expected to benefit from this bus.”