The position generally is that, in order to be eligible for free transport, children between the ages of four and ten must live at least two miles from their nearest appropriate school, while older children must live at least three miles away.
The pupil referred to by the Deputy resides 1.7 miles from the school concerned and is ineligible for transport on distance grounds. She can be facilitated with concessionary fare paying transport, from the nearest pick-up point, 0.4 miles from her home. Concessionary fare paying transport may be allowed to ineligible pupils on condition that there is room available on a service after all fully eligible pupils have been accommodated and provided no extra cost is involved by way of extending or altering the route of service.
I regret that, as the child concerned is not eligible for transport to the school in question, it is not open to my Department to extend the service to her home as requested.