Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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208. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51888/17]

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

Currently over 114,000 children, including some 11,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

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 school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The Scheme caters for situations where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full and in such instances eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance a child resides from his/her next nearest school having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of terms and conditions that are detailed in the scheme. The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s post primary school education cycle.

Bus Éireann has advised that no application for school transport has been received for the child in question.