Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of bus routes and students that will be affected by the proposed increase in the minimum number of students needed to provide a school bus service under the primary school transportation scheme from seven to ten; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19703/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes, on behalf of my Department, has advised that there are currently 124 primary school services, with some 550 eligible pupils, where the number of eligible pupils has fallen below the minimum number required to retain a school transport service. Bus Éireann is monitoring the situation and this figure may change if late applications are received or current applicants do not purchase tickets.

It should be noted that over 123,000 pupils on 6,000 routes availed of school transport services in the 2010/11 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.