Willie Penrose (Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 1596: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath has not been supplied with school transportation; if she will take steps to ensure that transport is provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1787/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, only eligible children qualify for free transport. In order to be eligible, children must live at least 3.2 kilometres from, and be attending, their nearest national school. Bus Eireann has advised that the service currently in operation is catering for all eligible pupils that have applied for transport.

However children who do not qualify for free transport on distance grounds may be allowed to travel as concessionary fare-payers. This may be allowed subject to the conditions that there are spare seats available after all fully eligible children have been catered for, and provided there is no extra State cost involved by way of altering or extending the route of the service or by providing an additional or larger bus.

Where fare-paying transport is sought to a school other than the nearest, the written agreement of the Board of Management of the nearest school is required, to the provision of transport. This agreement has been received in relation to the pupil referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied. The parents should contact their local Bus Éireann office on a term by term basis regarding the availability of spare seats.