Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the school transport routes B9004 from Aughrim to Arklow and route number 70810H from Rathdrum to Avondale with a view to increasing the capacity of the service in order to accommodate students who wish to avail of the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27297/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. Routes, bus sizes, pick up/set down points and timetables are planned on the basis of children who are eligible for school transport only.

The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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299. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any policy in place within the school transport system which prohibits the bus provider from providing a bigger bus even where there is demand for the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27298/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. Routes, bus sizes, pick up/set down points and timetables are planned on the basis of children who are eligible for school transport only.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any case whereby a school transport bus provider has been refused permission to increase the bus size on a transport route where students that previously used that route have been denied school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27299/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. Routes, bus sizes, pick up/set down points and timetables are planned on the basis of children who are eligible for school transport only.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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301. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has reviewed the school transport situation in County Sligo whereby a number of students travelling to schools (details supplied) have been refused school transport; his plans to rectify the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27300/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

In general, children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criterion and are attending their nearest school.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of terms and conditions that are detailed in the scheme. The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. Routes, bus sizes, pick up/set down points and timetables are planned on the basis of children who are eligible for school transport only.

The closing date for receipt of payments for school transport was 29^thJuly 2016.  Children for whom late payments are received cannot be guaranteed a seat on a school transport service.

Seats for concessionary applicants are allocated after all eligible children who make payments on time have been accommodated on school transport services. This exercise normally takes place after the closing date for receipt of payments.  Where seats are limited a random selection process is used.

The terms of the Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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302. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons the school transport bus service (details supplied) has been downsized from a 33 seater to a 24 seater; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27301/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools annually throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide transport services under the School Transport Scheme. Routes, bus sizes, pick up/set down points and timetables are planned on the basis of children who are eligible for school transport only.

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 was no planned programme of downsizing school buses in the current school year. There were 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 nationally was marginal, in line with what occurs every year.

It is important to point out that there has been no impact on children who are eligible for school transport.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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304. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has reviewed the school transport situation in east Cork where a number of children have been refused school transport; his plans to rectify the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27303/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools annually throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes.  Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

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 was no planned programme of downsizing school buses in the current school year. There were 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 nationally was marginal, in line with what occurs every year.

It is important to point out that there has been no impact on children who are eligible for school transport.

Bus Éireann has advised that there has been no downsizing of school transport vehicles in the East Cork area.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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305. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has reviewed the school transport situation (details supplied); if steps will be taken to rectify the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27304/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

As the Deputy is aware, under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for 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.

In general children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of terms and conditions that are detailed in the scheme. The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and is not available on public scheduled services.

While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest education centre/school.

The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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306. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost of restoring the pre-2011 criteria of eligibility for school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27305/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

Between 2010 and 2014 the changes recommended in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme contributed to a reduction of some €9m in the overall cost of school transport provision.