Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he plans to review measures taken by the last Government to charge €200 per annum for school transport to all children within a two mile radius of the school regardless of them holding a medical card; if he will review the cases of two schools (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13651/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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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 Value for Money Review of the scheme. One of the changes, which takes effect from the beginning of the 2011-12 school year, is that the distance eligibility criterion will be applied uniformly to all pupils attending primary schools and the exemption under the 'Central-Closed School Rule' (CSR) will cease. This means that children who reside less than 3.2 kilometres from their school of attendance and who are currently availing of free transport to that school under the CSR will lose their transport eligibility.

Primary school pupils who are not eligible for school transport may apply for concessionary transport at an annual charge of €200 per pupil, subject to a family maximum of €650 per annum. Given the major financial constraints facing the country, I regret that 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.

Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision to increase the number of children needed in a distinct locality on a particular bus route from seven to ten to retain transport to the local primary school; his plans to determine the number of children that will not be able to attend school without the school transport scheme, as mentioned in the value for money review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13652/11]

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 Value for Money Review of the scheme. These changes include the requirement that a minimum of ten eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, will be required to retain or establish a school transport service from the 2011-12 school year. As is currently the position, families of eligible pupils, for whom there is no suitable school transport service available, may apply for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.

Decisions in relation to the retention or establishment of school transport services will be made when all applications for school transport, for the 2011-12 school year, have been received and assessed. Given the major financial constraints facing the country, I regret that 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.