Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who applied for school bus tickets for the 2022-23 academic year who have not yet received a school bus ticket; the number of these who were what is termed late eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57855/22]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I applaud the introduction of free school transport for everyone, but as the Minister knows, it raised a number of issues. I seem to have many late eligibles in my constituency who are still awaiting transport. I counted this morning and found that I still had 30 students waiting. Has the Minister any idea of the number of applications that have not been processed? In particular, does she know how many late eligibles there are? By that I mean people who are going to become eligible for school transport but are still awaiting such transport.

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 last school year, more than 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The cost of the scheme in 2021 was €289 million.

In July 2022 and as part of a wider package of cost-of-living measures, the Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year for those who were eligible for the scheme. Ticket registration for the 2022-23 school year closed on 29 July, by which time almost 130,000 applications for mainstream school transport had been received. This figure included 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from previous years.

This time last year, there were approximately 103,600 children on school transport scheme services. Already, more than 127,800 tickets for the 2022-23 school year have been issued to applicants, meaning that in the region of 24,200 additional places have been created. This is an increase of 23%. Specifically, there has been an increase of 33% in concessionary tickets.

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national schools and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post-primary schools or education centres, as determined by the Department. All children who are eligible for school transport and have completed the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the school transport scheme, temporary alleviation measures at post-primary level have continued for the 2022-23 school year. Under these measures, pupils are eligible for transport to their next nearest schools.

As part of the budgetary process, some additional funding has been approved for the scheme, which has allowed officials in the Department, in consultation with Bus Éireann, to provide additional capacity where it is possible to do so. Bus Éireann has been prioritising areas where there are students who did not meet the eligibility criteria but were "on time concessionary pupils" and had tickets previously. It is important to stress that this is subject to capacity considerations. Constraints in sourcing vehicles and drivers in certain areas of the country may also mean that it may take a number of weeks to explore solutions for additional capacity.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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They prepared a long answer for the Minister telling me all sorts of things about the school transport system I have known for many years. I asked a specific question about the number of students who had not yet received a school bus ticket, the number of those who were what are termed "late eligibles", and if the Minister would make a statement on the matter. What number of applications have been received but not dealt with yet? Some late eligibles and concessionary ticket holders got tickets while others did not. Extra money was given but there seem to have been loose rules around it. I am looking for hard facts about the number who applied and have not yet received tickets and the number of those who were late eligibles, that is, they were eligible but did not get their applications in on time.

There was a problem with the reminder that was sent out to Yahoo email addresses. There was also a bit of confusion among the public because there were no fees and parents who were used to paying fees did not realise that they had to apply a second time.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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More than 130,000 applications or registrations were received by 29 July and we have issued 127,800 tickets. That process is ongoing. The 127,800 tickets represent a 23% increase on previous years, including a 33% increase in concessionary tickets.

Regarding the late application process, it is important for families to note that the application deadline was 29 April and that the deadline to confirm registration was 29 July. Any application completed after this date was a "late application" and, therefore, many school transport services were already operating at full capacity. While a number of late applications have been received, eligibility can only be determined at the time of assessment. These applications will only be assessed after all "on time" applications have been processed and there can be no guarantee of places for late applicants.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The second answer was much clearer than the first, which I appreciate. There are 2,800 applicants left, but the Minister has not yet told me how many of those would have been eligible had they applied on time. The website had to go down during the middle of the summer for a period because it had to be updated when the free transport scheme was introduced. I applaud the scheme, but it had its gremlins and caused confusion. Bus Éireann has admitted that there was a problem where people with Yahoo email addresses did not get the reminder that the rest did.

There was a little confusion. I have never had to deal with as many late eligibles as I have this year. In many cases, they applied in April but did not confirm in July because of the confusion during the summer. Is consideration still being given to granting these applicants school transport? Is fearr déanach ná go brách, or better later than never.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to record my appreciation for the efforts made by the Minister to improve the school transport system and the measures she took during the course of the year to do so. A number of places are still available throughout the system on existing coach services. If those were replaced by larger buses, many more children could be accommodated.

Would it be possible for the Minister to have a look at that, with a view to meeting, insofar as possible, the existing voids that can be addressed, including in some cases for concessionary students, who see the buses passing by and whose parents must drive them to school because they cannot get access to the bus service?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Ó Cuív referred to Yahoo and the difficulties in that regard. If he has any specific cases where an issue arose, I would appreciate if he could forward the email address to my Department. However, in the main, that is not the only means of communication with parents; there were others. There was public information and the closing dates were advertised. The responsibility rests with individuals applying to be mindful of the application dates. I am happy to hear from the Deputy about specific instances. If he can give me the details, I will have them directly followed up.

In response to Deputy Durkan's point about places being available on buses, I want to be very clear that there is a rigorous analysis of the availability of places. Where it has been necessary to put on larger buses for those who are eligible and for concessionary places, we have done that. I want to be very clear about the availability of places on buses. In some instances, there may be cases where pupils do not travel on a particular day or there are other needs within a family where a child might be sick or whatever the case might be and there will be a free place on that day, but that is not a consistent free place. Where a child or young person is eligible for a ticket, he or she has the ticket.