Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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336. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a written policy in his Department that defines which religions are deemed minority; and, if not, the way in which his Department decide eligibility regarding ethos as part of the application; and the way in which children of no religion are considered under the scheme, in view of the fact that the education transport scheme for second level states that eligibility is granted with regard to ethos to allow for transport for minority religions. [34705/17]

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

Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 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.

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

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 relation to school transport provision, ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the context of provision for minority religions.

While it is the prerogative of parents to choose the school that they wish their children to attend, eligibility for school transport is determined by the distance that children reside from their nearest school.

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