John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if persons (details supplied) can be accommodated on an already available school bus considering their health conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40484/16]

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.

In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised school that is resourced, to meet their special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills' criteria.

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.

In this case, the children in question are not attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their educational needs and are therefore not eligible for school transport.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions.  However, Bus Éireann has advised that there is no suitable service operating to the school that these children attend.

The terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs are applied equitably on a national basis.