To ask the Minister of Education to detail any assessment his Department has made of the safety risks faced by pupils who must walk along rural roads to access school transport, particularly during darker autumn and winter months.

Matters relating to the safety of footpaths, road conditions and street lighting fall within the remit of the Minister for Infrastructure. Officials in my Department and the Education Authority are contributing to the work of the Safer Journeys to School Programme which was established by the Minister for Infrastructure to explore and develop measures aimed at reducing risks for children travelling to school.

Under the Home to School Transport Policy, parents can be expected to assist with, and accompany their child on, the journey to the bus stop which should be no more than two miles from home for primary school pupils and three miles for post primary school pupils. As responsibility for this part of the journey rests with parents, the Education Authority does not routinely assess these routes.