Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a child (details supplied) in County Cork is entitled to any form of school transport. [18533/09]

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, that is, the centre serving the catchment area in which s/he lives. While parents may choose to send their children to a post-primary centre outside of the catchment area, the scheme is not designed to facilitate parents who choose to do so other than on the basis of transport on a concessionary basis to a post-primary centre outside of their own catchment area – otherwise known as catchment boundary transport - where there are spare seats available on the bus.

Given the description of the special educational needs provided by the Deputy in the question, the parents of the pupil may wish to discuss the case with the local Special Education Needs Organiser and subsequently liaise with the School Transport Section of my Department regarding eligibility.