Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school bus ticket for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16191/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.

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.

Under the terms of the 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/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

I am pleased to advise that Bus Eireann has confirmed that the child to whom the Deputy refers is eligible for school transport to the school referrred to. Accordingly the family will be contacted by Bus Éireann in relation to this matter.