Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2014
1346. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will add an additional stop to the Mullingar to Kilynon Turin secondary school Bus Éireann route (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33809/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Children 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 Post Primary School Transport Scheme as the cost involved on a national level would be prohibitive.
Bus Éireann has advised that eligible children who avail of the service in question have a service within the guidelines of the scheme. Accordingly, there are no proposals to change the current service.
