Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school bus transport will be provided for a child (details supplied) in County Cork; the reason an application for a concessionary bus ticket was refused by Bus Éireann in respect of this child; if he will investigate the possibility of putting a larger size bus in place to increase capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41646/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school 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, in the details supplied, is not attending her nearest national school 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 conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service. Consideration cannot be given to increasing the size of a bus to cater for children who are not eligible for school transport.