Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 227: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on the provision of school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11032/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The school transport schemes are operated by Bus Éireann, on behalf of my Department, and currently transport over 113,000 children, including about 8,000 with special educational needs, to and from school throughout the school year.

The main objective of my Department's Primary and Post Primary School Transport Schemes is to support the safe transport to and from school of children who would have difficulty travelling, for reasons of distance, to their nearest school if transport is not supported.

In this regard, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school or education centre having regard to ethos and language.

Children with special educational needs resulting from a diagnosed disability are eligible for transport if they are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

There is an annual charge for children who avail of school transport services but eligible children who hold valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from these charges; there is no charge for eligible children with special educational needs.

More detailed information may be obtained from the relevant schemes which are published on the Department and Bus Éireann websites.