Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Eligible primary school children who meet the requisite distance criterion of 3.2 kilometres will continue to retain school transport eligibility for the duration of their schooling. The distance criterion of 3.2 km is now being applied nationally to all eligible children availing of transport under the primary school transport scheme. Furthermore, in order to assist families residing in a closed school area, children enrolling in junior infants in September 2011 were considered eligible for school transport to their nearest school, provided they met the distance eligibility criterion.

The changes to the school transport scheme follow on from a detailed value for money review of that scheme. Many of the changes are designed as modernising and efficiency measures. This is aside altogether from the stark reality that the changes are required to enable the delivery of school transport at a reduced cost to the taxpayer, an absolute imperative in the circumstances facing this country.

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