To ask the Minister of Education what support his Department offers to parents whose economic situation has changed in relation to school transport and bus passes, particularly when their child attends a school that is not the closest of its kind to their family home.

The Education Authority has a statutory duty to provide transport assistance to all pupils who meet the eligibility criteria as detailed in DE Circular 1996/41. Transport assistance eligibility is based on two criteria in that pupils must live more than three miles from the school they are attending and have been declined a place in all schools in the same category within three miles of their home (two miles in the case of primary). Home to school transport provision will also be provided free of charge to pupils if they have a transport requirement identified within a statement of special educational needs. Once eligibility has been established, transport assistance will be provided to any school within their chosen category regardless of distance from a pupil’s home or whether it is the closest school in the same category. The Education Authority will continue to provide transport assistance to all eligible pupils regardless of any changes to their parents’ economic situation.