Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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1260. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason her Department reneged on a decision to provide school transport to students from the Balbriggan, Balrothery, Laytown and Bettystown areas who are enrolled to attend a college (details supplied) this September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33356/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The school transport scheme as it has operated at second level has a very restrictive approach to providing transport to other than the nearest school on the grounds of ethos. To provide transport in the circumstances set out by the Deputy would represent a significant change to the operation of the scheme with potentially wide ranging cost and other implications.

Given this fact, I have asked officials to consider this matter in its wider context and to revert to me in due course with their analysis. That said, the present position remains that I am unable to accede to the request for eligibility for transport provision in this case.