Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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416. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to change the school bus route servicing a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46844/17]

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 Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.  

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only. Concessionary transport 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 Scheme routes will not be extended or altered to cater for children who are not eligible for school transport and are travelling on a concessionary basis.

Bus Éireann has advised that as the eligible children on this bus have a service within guidelines there are no plans to change the bus route.

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