Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 126: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that new entrants whose nearest school is the closed school in Ladysbridge, County Cork, will be allowed to continue to be eligible for transport to a school (details supplied). [8432/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The changes to school transport services 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. The change to the closed school rule, referred to by the Deputy, means that the distance criteria will be applied uniformly and equitably on a national basis. All pupils travelling to a Central School/School of Amalgamation including those children starting school in September 2011, will continue to be eligible for transport to that Central School/School of Amalgamation school for the duration of their primary education, provided they meet the distance criterion.

From the 2012/2013 school year, school transport eligibility for all pupils newly entering national schools will be determined by reference to the nearest national school, having regard to ethos and language. Existing eligible primary pupils availing of transport under the Rule in question will retain transport eligibility for the duration of their schooling, provided the requisite distance criterion is met. 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.