Brendan Kenneally (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 180: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements that are in place to approve school transport for children with special education needs, which normally is approved by the local special education needs officer, when such an officer is on holiday during school term and will not return until after the schools have gone on holidays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25861/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised my Department that it issued guidelines to schools in February 2010 setting out the timelines within which schools should submit applications for transport for children with special education needs enrolling in September 2010.

Primary schools were advised to submit applications to the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) before the 21st May and post primary schools before 21st April to ensure that applications are processed before the end of the current school year, taking into account the volume of applications received from other schools and also other issues such as short term planned absences.

The NCSE has advised my Department that, in general, applications received since 21st May will be processed by them within the next 3-4 weeks.

Having considered the applications, the SENOs provide a report to my Department's School Transport Section. All applications are then assessed within the terms of the School Transport Scheme for children with special needs. Bus Éireann which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department contacts the parents/guardians of eligible pupils to make the necessary transport arrangements.