AQW 10210/17-22


Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford


Tabled Date: 13/11/2020
Answered On Date: 02/12/2020
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Education to provide (i) a health and safety report on whether it is reasonably practicable for school children, who travel with an Education Authority (EA) issued boat pass on the Strangford ferry, where there is not enough shelter from inclement weather, to spend full days in school in wet, cold uniforms; and (ii) what actions his Department is taking to protect the health and wellbeing of those children who are under the responsibility of the EA Transport department while travelling from home to school.


Answer:
My Department and the Education Authority consider the health and safety of all pupils to be a key priority and a range of actions has been taken to protect pupils when using the home to school transport service during COVID-19. I recognise that many pupils will find themselves having to manage difficult weather conditions on their journey to school. This includes examples such as when they are travelling to/from, or waiting at, their bus pick up point and when using the Strangford Lough Ferry Service. It is not possible for all pupils to be sheltered on all such aspects of their journey to school and it is therefore important, as it is in any year, for all pupils to be prepared for such conditions by having suitable clothing with them. There is no additional health and safety assessment in respect of this.
My officials have worked closely with those from the Department for Infrastructure, the Education Authority and Translink in recent months to enable pupils to use the Strangford Lough Ferry Service for their journey to school. As a result of this there are now two additional ferry sailings to facilitate those using the home to school transport service and bus services have been scheduled to ensure a seamless transition. Social distancing requirements on the ferry do not allow all pupils to use the passenger cabin. Alternatives have been explored and it is considered that while some pupils are likely to be without shelter for the seven minute journey on the ferry, on balance this is preferable to the alternative of bus transport around the lough which is likely to add considerably to the duration of pupils’ journeys.