Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department calculates distances between schools and collection points using roads that buses will not use as part of the route to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36266/12]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, when deciding on eligibility criteria for bus routes, Bus Éireann measures distances between collection points and a school using the route that the bus will ultimately take; if the distance is calculated using routes that would be unnavigable by a bus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36267/12]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 155: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a map of the route used by Bus Éireann to calculate the distance between areas (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36268/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 to 155, inclusive, together.

Bus Éireann operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department.

Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child's home to the relevant education centre. In cases where the distance eligibility is marginal or in dispute, vehicles fitted with calibrated measuring devices which measure the distance down to the nearest metre may be used to establish the exact distance.

Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.