Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

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 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. There has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and 38% tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the current school year compared with the 2021-22 school year. In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 5,200 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9 million.

The school transport scheme is an important service for families and children. The purpose of the scheme, having regard to available resources, is to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. A review of the school transport scheme is under way. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately. Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents, guardians and students who use the service. A broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Departments were all consulted as part of this review.

Phase one of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but attending their next nearest school. This report was completed in June 2021. For the 2023-24 school year, it remains the case that children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post primary school or education centre.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the 2023-24 school year, pending completion of the review. Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated. Such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

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