Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a student diagnosed with epilepsy is eligible for school transport under the scheme for school transport for children with special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11040/16]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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81. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children diagnosed with epilepsy who avail of school transport under the primary school transport scheme; the post-primary school transport scheme; the scheme for school transport for children with special educational needs; those who avail of concessionary school transport; those who receive the remote area grant for school transport, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11041/16]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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82. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have been refused access to the primary or post-primary school transport schemes on foot of a diagnosis of a medical condition or disability; the number of these who are catered for under the scheme for school transport for children with special educational needs; the number who are supported through the remote area grant; the number who are not supported by any school transport scheme and avail of private transport, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11042/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 to 82, inclusive, together.

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability. Children are eligible for transport where they:

- have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability in accordance with the designation of high and low incidence disability set out in Department of Education and Skill's (DES) Circular 02/05

and

- are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO). An Application Form for school transport is completed and signed by the Parents, School Principal and the SENO prior to or at the time of first enrolment.

Applications for transport provision, under the terms of this scheme, should only be completed in circumstances where children are not in a position to avail of standard school transport services.

In relation to children who are availing of school transport under my Department's Primary or Post Primary School Transport Scheme I can advise the Deputy that information regarding a child's medical condition or disability is not part of the application process; therefore the figures requested by the Deputy are not available.

In total there are some 114,000 children availing of school transport services including almost 10,000 children with special educational needs. In addition over 1,200 families received the Remote Area Grant in 2015.