Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a post-primary school bus service will be provided to the residents of a village (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20239/19]

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

There are currently over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

The purpose of the 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 meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2019/20 school year.

Bus Éireann has confirmed that the children from the area referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport to the Post Primary Centre referred to as this is not their nearest Post Primary Centre.

The number and size of buses operating for the 2019/20 school year will be determined by the number of children who apply and are deemed eligible for school transport.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. In this regard families should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office regarding the availability of transport on a concessionary basis for the next school year.

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