John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 136: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue in response to correspondence (details supplied) [36564/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, pupils who reside 3.2 kilometres or more from, and are attending their nearest suitable national school, as determined by my Department, are eligible for free school transport. The safety and welfare of pupils travelling on school transport services are of paramount importance to my Department and Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport services on behalf of my Department.

Bus Éireann is responsible for matters such as the planning of bus routes, the timetabling of services and the designation of pick up and set down points in such a way as to ensure that, as far as possible, pupils have a reasonable level of service consistent with school transport policy while at the same time, ensuring that school transport vehicles are fully utilised in an efficient and cost effective manner. Parents/Guardians have a responsibility to ensure that their children are brought safely to and collected safely from designated pick up and set down points. There is no provision within the scheme to facilitate pupils with pick up or set down points on existing bus routes other than those designated by Bus Éireann.