Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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386. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will indicate the way a student may avail of free travel when there is no bus service to the school in their catchment area but there is a service to a school outside their catchment area (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38333/13]

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.

An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant (RAG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements.

Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child in question is not attending his nearest education centre and is therefore not eligible for school transport.

Children who are not eligible for school transport 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.