The family to whom the Deputy refers resides 0.8 miles from the route of service to Carnacon national school, their nearest school. As a rule primary school transport routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 1.5 miles to travel to a pick-up point. Pupils living off the main route of a service are generally expected to make their own way or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route. Home pick-ups were never envisaged as being part of the school transport scheme as the cost involved on a countrywide level would be prohibitive.
As the family concerned is considered to have a reasonable level of service in the context of the general operation of the school transport scheme, and as extra cost would be involved in rerouting the service, I regret that it is not open to my Department to alter the route as requested. However, there is a facility under the scheme whereby parents may pay for a rerouting of service, subject to certain conditions. The family may contact their local Bus Éireann office for more details.