School Transport Availability

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 July 2016

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Questions (119)

Anne Rabbitte

Question:

119. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of awarding a concessionary bus pass to a person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21490/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question is not eligible for school transport as she is not attending her nearest school. Furthermore, Bus Éireann has advised that there is no service from where the child in question resides to the school referred to by the Deputy.

The terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.