Vol. 558 No. 6
105 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Science the circumstances whereby a child is eligible for free transport to a second level school and the variations in fee applied when they are deemed ineligible for free transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25251/02]
For the purposes of the post-primary education scheme, including school transport, the country has been divided into catchment areas, each of which has its own post-primary centre. Recognised post-primary pupils who live at least three miles from the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which they reside, are fully eligible for transport to that centre.
Pupils who reside less than three miles from their appropriate centre are ineligible on distance grounds for school transport under the terms of the school transport scheme. They may be allowed concessionary fare paying transport provided there is room on the bus after all eligible pupils have been catered for. Similarly pupils who reside outside of the catchment area of the school attended may be allowed catchment boundary transport provided that there is room on the bus after eligible pupils have been catered for.
Pupils who avail of school transport are charged a term fee. The current term charge for eligible junior cycle pupils is €33 and for eligible senior cycle pupils is €51. Where there are a number of eligible children in a family a term family ticket may be purchased for €107. The term charge for concessionary fare paying pupils is €51. Where the parents or legal guardian of eligible pupils are medical card holders, the term charge may be waived. There is no provision for the waiving of charges in respect of ineligible pupils.
