Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction concessionary school transport tickets for persons (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34249/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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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 Co. Carlow and Bus Éireann have advised that the transport service in question is operating to capacity. The family referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, should continue to liaise with Bus Éireann regarding the availability of spare seats on the bus.