Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will appreciate that the scheme is managed on behalf of the Department of Education by Bus Éireann. He will appreciate that there is a criteria of eligibility for the scheme, namely students who live 3.2 km from the nearest primary school or 4.8 km at post-primary, from their nearest or next nearest school. That is the criteria as laid down. The Deputy will be aware that more than 163,000 young people have benefitted and are benefitting from that scheme and benefitted last year from it and no doubt even more will benefit from it in the 2024-25 school year. At present, the applications of all those who have applied and have paid on time are being adjudicated as to whether they meet the existing criteria which as I have outlined for the Deputy, or 4.8 km at post-primary which is what the Deputy specifically referred to, from their nearest or next nearest school. If they meet that criteria and a route is in place, then they will be eligible.

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