Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a school transport application by a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44585/17]

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 Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are generally eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school.

The child in question is not attending her nearest school and is therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme. 

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.

Only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.

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

The case referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied was also the subject of an appeal to the School Transport Appeals Board and the decision not to allow school transport eligibility to the school referred to by the Deputy was upheld.

The Board has informed the family directly of their determination on the matter.