Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the post office in Drogheda, County Louth, is being used as a general reference point for all schools in the town when, under the school transport scheme, Bus Éireann measures the distance persons in the Drogheda and east Meath area live from their local schools; if so, the reasoning behind this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25628/14]

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 the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Where there is more than one school in a Post Primary Education Centre, eligibility is determined by measuring the distance from a child's home address to a central measuring point (CMP). Bus Éireann has confirmed that the Post Office in Drogheda is a designated CMP. CMPs are a feature of the school transport scheme and have assisted in the smooth operation of services for many years. The use of CMPs benefits families by ensuring that children of the same family, who are attending different schools in the same education centre, are eligible for school transport provided they satisfy the distance criterion to the CMP rather than the individual school. In general, where queries arise regarding distance, recourse is had to the fundamental principle of the scheme – eligibility for school transport is determined by the distance children reside from their nearest school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on aspects of the FGS report in 2009 on Bus Éireann charges for school transport in the context of the Freedom of Information Act, which states that Bus Éireann cost allocations are estimates based on its experience and do not reflect the actual cost set out in the 1975 agreement; if he will confirm that estimate records in respect of costs for compensation levels for the service are not recognised accountancy treatments under state aid rules and amount to illegal state aid; if he will further confirm that Ireland could be fined if there is a deliberate delay in the recovery of illegal aid; his views on the reason for not ordering the Department responsible for recovery to claw back the payments to Bus Éireann; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the EU can impose fines on Ireland for deliberate delay in recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25863/14]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The State's consistent position is that the school transport arrangements comply with EU State Aid requirements and it is not accepted that "illegal state aid" arises. The FGS report, which was published on the Department's website on 16th April 2014, does not alter this position. Accordingly, the hypothetical matters raised in the Deputy's question do not arise.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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213. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, as Minister with responsibility for overall public procurement, his attention has been drawn to the fact that since 1 July 1993 and also since the EU procurement directive became law to 2011, in the region of €2 billion was spent on subcontractors for school transport without compliance with the directive; that Bus Éireann was paid 13% on top of that amount; his views on the supervisory function his Department has in respect of non-compliance with procurement laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25873/14]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is in contact with Bus Éireann in relation to the detail of the Deputy’s question. The information requested will be provided directly to the Deputy when received.