Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

196. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43506/14]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Deputy will be aware that changes to the School Transport Scheme have generated an increase in the number of queries and representations to my Department and when combined with the routine administrative work undertaken within my Department in relation to school transport provision generally, regrettably, it was not feasible to deal with the increased volume of representations in a more timely manner.

In relation to the correspondence in question, the purpose of my Department's Post primary School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest education centre.

Changes to the Scheme were announced in Budget 2011 and were derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme.

The main change to the Post Primary scheme means that from the commencement of the 2012/13 school year, school transport eligibility for all pupils newly entering a post primary school is being determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest Post-Primary Education Centre having regard, as heretofore, to ethos and language.

It makes economic sense that the provision of school transport to the nearest school will reduce the overall cost of providing these services and I have no plans to review the current eligibility criteria. The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.