Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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306. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made in relation to a school bus route extension (details supplied); the reason for the delay in this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46346/13]

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 is responsible for the planning and time-tabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally. As a rule, post primary school transport routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 km to travel to a pick-up point.

Bus Éireann is currently assessing the services operating into the school in question with a view to ensuring that all eligible children can avail of a service within these guidelines.