Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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697. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the rules governing eligibility to the school transport scheme in which access to school transport is determined whereby applicants satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school with due regard given to ethos and language; if she has considered the benefit which a relaxation of these rules would yield for students by allowing school-goers to have a greater degree of choice as to where they receive their schooling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6790/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of my Department's School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

Under the terms of my Department's Schemes children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 or 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school or post primary centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, it makes sense that eligibility for school transport is to the nearest school or education centre.

The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis and I am satisfied with the current criteria for determining eligibility.