Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 118: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views regarding a school bus service (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that parents in the area are willing to pay for the service if it is available to them and if the particular service can be maintained on the basis that it will have the minimum numbers required to maintain the service in 2012. [13381/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

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. These changes include the requirement that a minimum of 10 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 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.