Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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144. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school bus ticket for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33594/16]

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

Currently in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 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 education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The child in question is not attending her nearest school and is therefore not eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only, which is subject to a number of conditions, including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge.

In this regard, Bus Éireann has advised that there are spare seats on the existing service and the family should contact their local Bus Éireann office (01 830 2222) if they wish to avail of school transport on a concessionary basis.