School Transport Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2012

Tuesday, 2 October 2012

Questions (182)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

182. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further to correspondence from this Deputy (details supplied) if he will provide a definition of traversable; his views on whether the word traversable should only be applied to those roads that can be travelled by buses; his views on whether using routes that cannot be travelled by buses is appropriate for the purposes of calculating distances to the nearest school; his further views on whether selecting routes on that basis meets the intent of his Department's requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41854/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

From the outset of the scheme, the measurement of the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre has been used to determine whether or not a child qualifies for school transport based on the distance criteria. It is not correct to say that such a route must be capable of being traversed by a bus. On the contrary, it may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route. Any other approach could result in a situation where the State is required to provide school transport to a child living within walking distance of a school. I am satisfied with the current requirements for determining eligibility.

Question No. 183 answered with Question No. 178.