Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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289. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to a school transport issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18851/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, 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.

In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for children with special educational needs. This is reflected in the standard of dedicated service provided and the fact that these services are generally planned and timetabled to operate on a door-to-door basis. In certain cases, the Department also provides funding to schools for the employment of escorts to accompany children whose care and safety needs require this level of support while they travel to and from school.

Given the concerns regarding welfare of children with special educational needs, it is not always practical to make these services available to children who are capable of travelling on standard mainstream school transport services as to do so might diminish the level of care and safety that the Department and Bus Éireann wish to provide for these vulnerable children.

Bus Éireann has advised that the service that could accommodate this family currently caters for other pupils with special educational needs, therefore it is not permissible to allow their sibling travel on the same service and the request to accommodate the sibling cannot be considered on this occasion.

Bus Éireann have also advised that an application for mainstream school transport, was submitted on 19th April 2024, in respect of the pupil who will commence post primary school in the next academic year. The pupil is eligible for transport to this school.