Vol. 471 No. 6
109 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education the reason a child (details supplied) in County Dublin is being denied a place on a school bus and is expected to walk 2.4 miles to school due to the fact that she has recently passed her tenth birthday; the plans, if any, she has to change the criteria by which a child is eligible for a place on the school bus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21419/96]
Eligibility for school transport is determined by age and distance from the child's residence to the nearest appropriate school.
Having reached the age of ten, the child in question is no longer eligible for free transport since she lives less than three miles from her school.
Concessionary fare-paying transport may be allowed to ineligible pupils after all eligible pupils have been catered for and subject to accommodation being available on the bus.
Unfortunately, I understand that there are no places available on the bus at present.
The operation of the school transport scheme is currently being examined by the school review committee, which I expect will be in a position to report to me very shortly.
