To ask the Minister of Education to detail the process for ensuring that the safety of school children is maintained when a designated school crossing patrol person takes (i) a planned; and (ii) an unplanned leave of absence.

Overall responsibility for road safety lies with the Department of the Environment. However, the Education Authority (EA) has a role to play and can take such measures as they may set out in a scheme, approved by my Department with a view to assisting in the prevention of accidents involving school children. This enables the EA to hire and deploy school crossing patrols where particular traffic hazards have been identified.

As the EA have no statutory responsibility for such provision, their delivery of a School Crossing Patrol service is on a discretionary basis and the primary responsibility for ensuring children get safely to and from school rests with parents.

Every effort is taken to ensure that crossing patrols are maintained with as little disruption as possible. Where there is a period of absence, EA will endeavour to ensure alternative cover is provided on a temporary basis. However, it may not be possible to provide alternative cover in all cases of absence, particularly where it is unplanned.

Some schools may have a designated member of staff who has received the required training to operate legally as a substitute in this role and they can be used as a substitute to cover periods of absence.

On occasions where cover cannot be provided, School principals are requested to notify parents that the School Crossing Patrol location will not be manned and that the safety of pupils is a matter of parental responsibility.