Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 56: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, further to Parliamentary Question No. 78 of 13 January 2011, if she will issue an authorisation to allow a person (details supplied) in County Kerry to avail of transport to a school which fulfils the criteria outlined in the response. [3071/11]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Needs, pupils meeting Department criteria and attending their nearest special unit in a mainstream primary school which is resourced to meet the educational needs of the pupils, are eligible for school transport for the duration of their attendance at these special units. I understand that the pupil referred to by the Deputy, in the details supplied, is no longer attending the special unit at the school.

Consequently, the pupil is now assessed for transport eligibility under the terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme. Under this scheme, pupils are eligible for school transport if they reside 3.2 kilometres or more from and are attending their nearest primary school, as determined by my Department. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport schemes on behalf of my Department, has advised that the school of attendance is not the pupil's nearest primary school and therefore this pupil is not eligible for school transport.