Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 114,000 children, including 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7 million in 2020. Having regard to available resources, the purpose of the scheme is to support the transport to and from school of children whose places of residence are remote from their nearest schools. All children who are eligible and complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport in the 2021-22 school year where such services are in operation. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis where seats are available after all eligible applicants have been accommodated.

The Department has engaged intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of school transport scheme services for the 2020-21 school year. Based on public health advice, the Department provided for school transport scheme services for the 2020-21 school year to operate fully, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing using 50% of passenger capacity. My officials engage on a weekly basis with public health consultants from the HSE on the safe operation of schools, including school transport.

The requirement to implement additional measures on school transport services in the 2021-22 school year will be dependent on the prevailing public health advice at that time. It is difficult at this point to make a projection, given that we will be using the most up-to-date advice available to us at the time. In addition, the Department is conducting a review of the school transport scheme to ensure that it is fit for purpose and serves students and their families adequately. All consideration will be given to the public health advice that is available to us in advance of the return to school.

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