Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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323. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to a previous parliamentary question and the definition of a "distinct locality", the minimum number of ten children to form the basis of creating a school transport route and the importance to the very fabric of rural communities; to provide a clear definition by reference to measurable, quantifiable criteria such as distance within a certain amount of meters or kilometers by public road networks, or within a parish, or a townland and or within a measurable radius, or line of road and not use terminology such as "this definition is commonly understood" when it is not commonly understood and is a subjective test as there is in fact no definition in place that can be said to be within a rule or outside a rule and that could be subject to review by the courts and or the Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10506/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of my Department's 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 school.

In general, children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criterion and are attending their nearest school. Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child's home to the relevant school. It may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that the school bus takes.

A minimum number 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.

For school bus operating purposes a "distinct locality" is a cluster of eligible children who reside in the same general area, in the same general direction from the school attended, as determined by Bus Éireann taking cognisance of the local road network. A service to convey a group of children whose homes are at scattered points in a school district would not be considered.

The terms of the Scheme are applied in a fair and transparent manner on a national basis, and I remain satisfied that the eligibility criteria are commonly understood.

Should the Deputy have a specific case or area in mind I will request Bus Éireann to provide more detailed information.