Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 240: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that Bus Éireann is considering abolishing the school transport system to rural national schools that fail to provide a minimum of ten pupils for daily collection; the steps he will take to ensure that children can safely make it to school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19847/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Changes to school transport services were announced in the 2011 Budget and derive from recommendations made in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. These changes included the requirement that a minimum of 10 eligible pupils, residing in a distinct locality, would be required to retain or establish a school transport service from the commencement of the 2011/12 school year.

Decisions in relation to the retention or establishment of school transport services for the 2012/13 school year will be made when all applications submitted for school transport have been assessed and payments made. 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.