Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 1273: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34472/09]

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.

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 and no additional state cost is incurred. Such children have to make their own way to the nearest pick up point within that catchment area. In general, catchment boundary tickets are issued on a first come, first served basis.

The pupils referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied, are not attending the school in the catchment area in which they reside, may only avail of concessionary transport from the catchment boundary and under the terms of the school transport scheme they must make their own way to that boundary.