Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 137: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to school bus transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13711/08]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to school bus transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13712/08]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason a person (details supplied) in County Galway is not entitled to school bus transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13713/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 to 139, inclusive, together.

Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, a pupil is eligible for transport if s/he resides 4.8 kilometres or more from her/his local post primary education centre.

The scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area in which they reside. However, children who are fully eligible for transport to the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which they reside may apply for transport on a concessionary basis to a post-primary centre outside of their own catchment area — otherwise known as catchment boundary transport. These children can only be facilitated if spare seats are available on the bus after all other eligible children travelling to their local post-primary centre have been catered for. Such children have to make their own way to the nearest pick up point within that catchment area.

The Transport Liaison Officer for County Galway has advised that the pupils referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied are eligible for catchment boundary transport. The pupils concerned should liaise with Bus Éireann regarding the availability of spare seats.