John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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193. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) who is a medical card holder is not eligible to receive free school transport for their children and therefore it costs them a significant €700 per annum for their children to travel from their home to their school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34416/16]

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

Currently over 113,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being 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 are attending their nearest school and satisfy the requisite distance criteria.

In this regard Bus Éireann has confirmed that the children in question are not attending their nearest school and are therefore not eligible for school transport. 

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only.

Transport on a concessionary basis is subject to a number of conditions which are detailed in the School Transport Scheme such as the existence of spare seats on the bus after all eligible children have been catered for and payment of the school transport charge. Only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold valid Medical Cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge. The maximum annual family charge for school transport is €650.

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