Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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191. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the difficulties being experienced by families (details supplied) in County Offaly in accessing school transport; if she will liaise with Bus Éireann with a view to providing a bus to accommodate the children to allow them attend their local school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34979/15]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Children are eligible for Post Primary School Transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from, and are attending, their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The closing date for receipt of payments for school transport was 31st July 2015; a number of families, with children who are eligible for school transport, made late payments and at that stage the bus was full. Children for whom late payments are received cannot be guaranteed a seat on a school transport service.

However, on this occasion Bus Éireann was able to upgrade an existing service and all children who applied and provided payment details for school transport can now be accommodated.