Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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410. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason additional buses or larger buses cannot be put on for children in areas in which demand is high for concessionary students that have already paid. [38240/17]

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 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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.

In general, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.

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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis; no additional State cost will be incurred.

It is important that the terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.

Families who have paid the annual charge but were not allocated a seat on the school bus will receive a refund from Bus Éireann.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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411. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) whose family has paid for a ticket for school transport is not being facilitated or an additional service offered in view of the fact that the bus ticket is paid for. [38241/17]

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 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 the Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for 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.

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.

Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question is not eligible for school transport as she is not attending her nearest school.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.

In this case, the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeded the number of spare seats available on an existing service.

The child in question was not allocated a seat during the subsequent selection process and the family have been refunded their payment.

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

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) whose family has paid for a ticket for school transport is not being facilitated or an additional service offered in view of the fact that the bus ticket is paid for. [38242/17]

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 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 the Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for 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.

Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question is not eligible for school transport as she is not attending her nearest school.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.

In this case, the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeded the number of spare seats available on an existing service.

The child in question was not allocated a seat during the subsequent selection process and the family have been refunded their payment.

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

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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413. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason persons (details supplied) whose family has paid for a ticket for school transport are not being facilitated or an additional service offered in view of the fact that the bus ticket is paid for. [38243/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 the Primary School Transport Scheme Children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann.

Bus Éireann has advised that the family in question are not eligible for school transport as they do not meet the distance criteria.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.

In this case, the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeded the number of spare seats available on an existing service.

The family in question were not allocated seats during the subsequent selection process and they have been refunded their payment.

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

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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414. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason persons (details supplied) whose family has paid for a ticket for school transport are not being facilitated or an additional service offered in view of the fact that the bus ticket is paid for. [38244/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 the Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann.

Bus Éireann has advised that the family in question are not eligible for school transport as they do not meet the distance criterion.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.

In this case, the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeded the number of spare seats available on an existing service.

The family in question were not allocated seats during the subsequent selection process and they have been refunded their payment.

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