Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason children from certain areas in County Donegal are being asked to travel a greater distance to further their education (details supplied) when there is a school closer to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1426/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of my Department's 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 measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre.

Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service.

The route travelled by a school transport service is not a consideration in determining eligibility for school transport.