Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The changes to the school transport scheme were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the recently published Value for Money Review of the scheme. From the beginning of the 2011/12 school year, services under the minimum numbers, either single services or which are part of double tripping arrangements, will be discontinued. A pick up density of 10 eligible pupils in a distinct locality on a particular route will be required to establish or retain services.

The details of the routes and the number of buses required will only be finalised later this year when applications/payments/exemptions have been processed by Bus Eireann. As is currently the case, where an eligible pupil cannot avail of a service, eligible families can apply for the transport grant (traditionally called the remote area grant) which is payable based on distance travelled up to a maximum of 9.7 kilometres. Given the major financial constraints facing the country, I cannot reverse the changes to school transport as announced by the previous government in Budget 2011. We all have to understand the legacy of economic mismanagement which the last Government gave to the country.