Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issues raised, I would like to provide Members with an outline of the extent of the school transport service and what it entails.

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the current school year, over 114,000 children, including over 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.

The purpose of the Department's school transport scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Under the terms of the primary and post-primary scheme, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school or education centre as determined by the Department or Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for 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 only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available, Bus Éireann allocates tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process. Concessionary transport is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. Routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.

I understand that some parents may have a concern that they would not be considered eligible for transport to the next-nearest school if, due to the enrolment pressures mentioned by the Deputies, their nearest school is full. I would like to reassure them that in cases where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance that children reside from their next-nearest school, having regard to ethos and language. If a family has further information in regard to the closest school being full, they should contact the school transport section of the Department.

In October 2019, my predecessor announced a review of the school transport scheme with a view to taking a fresh look at the service and its broader effectiveness and sustainability. Given the evolving situation with Covid-19, the work of the steering group had been delayed. However, an initial meeting of the steering group was recently held in order to recommence the process, which will continue over the coming period. The review is being conducted to ensure that the school transport system is fit for purpose and that it serves students and their families adequately. This review will build on the proposals in the programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining the options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the school transport scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools programme; and examining the options for providing better value and a better service for students, including examining issues such as the nearest or next-nearest school, which I know is of particular interest to the Deputies.

It is planned that the steering group will report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses with a view to presenting a final report later this year with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s school transport scheme.

The steering group will report to me initially on preliminary findings on eligibility before moving to consider and report on broader issues such as the objectives of the scheme and its alignment with other initiatives and wider Government policy. This steering group is due to report to me shortly with its preliminary report. I thank the Deputies for raising this matter and for affording me the opportunity to provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme.

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