Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Ferris for raising this matter.

The Deputy refers to the changes in the primary transport scheme announced in budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government. These changes derive from recommendations in the value for money review of the school transport scheme and relate to the introduction of charges, changes to the "closed school rule" and changes to the minimum numbers required to establish or maintain a service.

I will now give more detailed information on the proposed changes. With effect from the 2011-12 school year, a transport fee of €50 per annum will be introduced for eligible primary school pupils, with a maximum family charge for eligible primary pupils only of €110 per annum. Eligible children who hold a valid medical card are exempt from paying the charge. Evidence suggests that school transport charges compare very favourably with the charges being levied by the private sector. While the charges vary from area to area, some parents are paying between €20 and €25 per child per week, which equates to between €730 and €915 per child per school year at primary level. It is worth noting that the actual cost to the State of providing bus transport per child nationally is approximately €1,020 per annum.

As a consequence of the introduction of charges, parents now have to apply directly to Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department, for school transport for their children. The charge is being introduced to ensure that school transport provided for eligible primary pupils is fully utilised in a cost effective manner.

The Deputy will be familiar with the closed school and central school rules for school transport eligibility purposes introduced in the 1960s in circumstances where a primary school or a number of primary schools closed and were amalgamated. No time limit has been applied to the closed school or central school rule. In some cases, the primary school in question was closed up to 40 years ago and amalgamated with another school. In some instances, a newer school has subsequently been built in the general area of the original closed school. Under the current primary school transport scheme, however, the transport provided is to the amalgamated school only, even in circumstances where there is actually a newer school closer to the pupil's home. A pupil in these circumstances is not eligible for free transport to the newer school.

With regard to forward planning policy to meet pupil places annually, the Department of Education and Skills assesses school accommodation needs in each area based on local demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and the capacity of existing schools to meet demand for places. The closed school rule can operate to distort parental decisions and result in pupils travelling longer distances than necessary were they to go to the nearest school.

The specific changes announced in the closed school rule are as follows. From the commencement of the 2011-12 school year, the distance criteria will be applied to all pupils attending primary schools and the exemption under the closed school rule will cease. This means that children who reside less than 3.2 km from the school of attendance and who are availing of free transport to that school under the closed school rule will no longer be eligible for school transport. From the 2012-13 school year, eligibility based on the closed school rule and the central school rule will cease for all new children entering primary schools. It is, however, important to emphasise that existing primary pupils availing of transport under the closed school rule will retain transport eligibility for the duration of their schooling, provided the requisite distance is met. Moreover, given that the change in question will not come into being until September 2012, all new pupils enrolling this September will be eligible under the closed school rule.

To put this issue fully into context drawing on the report of the value for money review of the school transport scheme, the following facts are relevant. In the 2009-10 school year, transport services under the closed school rule operated to more than 800 primary schools with almost 26,000 children, representing 54.4% of mainstream tickets issued, deemed eligible for school transport under this rule. According to sample studies undertaken for the value for money review estimates, applied nationally, in the majority of cases where such transport has been provided pupils already attend their nearest primary school. While the application of the closed school rule is referred to in these cases, it does not mean that they are not travelling to their nearest school. The transport of such a significant number of children, some of whom would not qualify for transport on the basis of the distance criterion alone, involves a cost.

Regarding the application of the distance rule, Bus Éireann is undertaking a detailed assessment of pupils attending each school concerned. Parents affected will be notified by Bus Éireann of changes to their transport eligibility with effect from the 2011-12 school year.

Families who are no longer eligible for school transport as they reside less than 3.2 km from the school of attendance may apply for concessionary transport, in circumstances where there are spare seats available when all eligible children have been catered for, on payment of the charge of €200.

See this speech in context