Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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121. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way decisions are being made to establish the nearest school for a student under the terms of the post primary school transport scheme when schools are the same distance apart or where there is less than 1 km in distance of a difference; if it is true that google maps is the programme used to establish the distance; the timeframe spent assessing each application using this programme; the amount of discretion allowed in this regard if a student does not attend their chosen school when the distance is the same particularly when one school is more suitable for the needs of the student; if he will examine if this is the best use of resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28780/13]

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 Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre and a variety of methods may be used to calculate this measurement including a specially designed GIS mapping system. Mobile Inspectors carry out physical measurements and for the majority of families it is apparent that they are well in excess of the required distance of 4.8 kms from the school attended. In cases where 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 and/or the nearest appropriate education centre to the child's home.

For measurement purposes the shortest traversable route between the child's home and the relevant education centre may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that the school bus takes. The family in question should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office if they wish to query the measurement used to determine eligibility for school transport. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest centre/school.