Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
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459. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a pupil with autism who was awarded school transport for national school must reapply for school transport when they go to secondary school. [51511/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.

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. It is made up of the Mainstream scheme at Primary and Post Primary level, as well as the scheme for pupils with Special Educational Needs.

Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.

Where a pupil is eligible under the scheme and changes school, including moving from primary to post primary education, a new application must be submitted.