Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position in relation to the school transport scheme application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if the decision will be reviewed. [26954/13]

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 km from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is not attending her nearest education centre and is therefore not eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible for school transport, under the terms of the scheme, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of a conditions, including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and the payment of the annual charge. The Deputy will be aware that changes in determining eligibility for school transport to post-primary schools were introduced from the commencement of the 2012-13 school year. These changes are being applied equitably on a national basis and in some cases pupils in the same area, or family, may be eligible for transport to different schools during the transitional period of five years. In certain areas, families who choose to send their children to schools other than their nearest school may diminish the chance of a service being established to their nearest school.