Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when school transport can be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29043/16]

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 Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann, which operate school transport on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child in question is not attending her nearest post primary school and is therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme.

As more children choose to attend their nearest schools, services may be established with pick-up points designed around the home addresses of these eligible children. Families who choose to send their children to schools other than their nearest diminish the chance of a service being established to their nearest school.

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