asked the Minister for Education if he will arrange school transport on either basis for children (details supplied) from Cappincur, Tullamore, County Offaly, who are pupils at Scoil Bríd, Tullamore, in view of the fact that most of them are under ten years of age.

In order to be eligible for free transport under the terms of the free transport scheme, a child of less than ten years of age, must reside at least two miles from the nearest school and a child of ten years of age and older must reside at least three miles from the nearest school. According to the information available to the Department, there is only one child from the families mentioned who is eligible for free transport and he is already being carried on the transport service to Tullamore.

Children who are ineligible for free transport may be carried as farepaying passengers provided there is spare accommodation on the vehicle after those who are eligible for free transport have been catered for and provided that no extra cost is incurred in doing so.

The bus on which the Cappincur children might be carried as fare-paying passengers has already a capacity load.