Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure that no bus routes are discontinued due to the continuing implementation of the nearest school rule introduced in 2012 (details supplied) in advance of the new school term pending the outcome of the Governments review of the school transport scheme. [23992/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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The Programme for Government commits to review the concessionary charges and rules element of the School Transport Scheme prior to Budget 2017.

Pending this review, there will be no planned programme of downsizing school buses in the coming school year. There will be route changes and variations in line with normal operational decisions that occur from year to year, and any impacts in terms of increases or decreases of available places will be marginal, in line with what occurs every year.

It is important to point out that this has no relevance or impact whatsoever for children who are eligible for school transport.