Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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264. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to lower the requirement that ten pupils are needed to secure a school bus service; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this criterion is having a detrimental effect on enrolment in smaller schools and is posing further difficulties for such schools in planning for the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32703/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The change to the minimum number requirement was one of a number of changes derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme and introduced following a budgetary decision by the previous government.

Under the terms of my Department's Primary and Post Primary School Transport Schemes a minimum of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Families of eligible children, for whom there is no school transport service available, may be eligible for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.

The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis and I am satisfied with the current criteria for the establishment or retention of school transport services.