Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 133: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which school transport at a school (details supplied) can be continued to meet requirements in full; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40792/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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One of the changes in the school transport scheme which took effect from the beginning of the 2011 school year was an increase from seven to ten in the minimum number of eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, required to establish or retain an individual school transport service.

Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport schemes on behalf of my Department, has advised that in this case, the number of applications from eligible pupils did not match the above requirement and consequently the service was withdrawn from the beginning of the current school year.

This minimum number requirement has been applied to all individual school transport services nationally from the commencement of 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 a remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.