Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We move to the third Topical Issue matter, which was tabled by the very patient Deputy David Stanton, who wishes to discuss with the Minister for Education the need to provide a second level school transport service for next September for at least 50 children travelling from Cobh to Carrigtwohill, County Cork.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for his kind remarks and selecting this topic and I thank the Minister for being here to discuss it with me. The Minister is very familiar with the area I am talking about in Cobh and Carrigtwohill. There are two fine secondary schools in Cobh but there are six primary schools, one of which has 120 students in sixth class alone. Over the years, there have been issues with capacity in Cobh, which is something the Minister might ask her officials to look at again with respect to the need to expand schools or even build a new school in time.

Over the years, a number of students went to Carrigtwohill, which is where the next nearest school is located. As the Minister said earlier, if schools are full, students are allowed to use the free transport scheme to travel to the next nearest school. That is something I would like to tease out. Some students are in third or transition year or are going into the leaving certificate years. Until now, they managed with the transport that was available. A lot of parents are able to drive. The Minister of State, Deputy Pippa Hackett, is present. There are more cars on the road that we should have.

The cost of transport is horrendous. One parent told me it costs her €500 per annum for her child to go to school. The Minister said earlier it costs €75 per annum for the school bus scheme, which is a big saving for families. Parents have applied for the scheme but are awaiting a response. We can imagine the stress that girls, in particular, face travelling a distance with being guaranteed a lift home in the evening. Parents are trying to get off work or are arranging spins with other parents. The bus service that is available is expensive and there is a 45-minute wait for girls in the winter time. It is a bit of a mess.

Parents want a simple solution. I understand it is within the gift of the Minister or Department to sanction a bus service from Cobh to Carrigtwohill which is, I am told, 15 minutes or 10 km. That would solve the problem. There are enough students to justify the service. Parents have contacted me and other colleagues about this. They are upset, worried and distraught. They need support from the Department.

It is not realistic to ask a student to leave one school and move to another during the leaving certificate cycle. The subjects may not align and, in this case, they do not. One school teaches German but another in Cobh does not. It is a problem that needs a resolution. This has been an issue for quite a number of years and is causing a lot of stress. The solution is fairly straightforward. The number of students to justify the service is there. I quoted a figure of 50 in my Topical Issue question but the number may be higher because a number of students travel by car, which puts parents under extra stress. Some parents do not drive and are begging for spins and lifts from other parents, which is not on.

There is no regular public transport to Carrigtwohill from Cobh , which is difficult, even though it is only 15 minutes away. I ask the Minister to examine this issue. I hope in her response she will tell me that. These children will be going to the second nearest school. Some children applied to schools in Cobh three years ago and were told there was no space. There were 120 pupils on a waiting list at one stage. Students went to a school in Carrigtwohill and I do not think it would be realistic to ask them to change back to Cobh. Even if they could, they probably would not be able to do so. The other place they can go to is Passage West which is on the other side of the harbour. One parent told me that requires six different journeys, comprising ferries, trains, buses and God knows what else. Such a journey is not feasible. In the long term, the Minister needs to examine overall capacity in Cobh but in the short term, for next September, she needs to provide a bus service for the students.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issues raised, it is important to provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme. It is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 149,000 young people, including 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools. There has been a significant increase in the number of those availing of the system, including a 21% increase in those deemed eligible and a 38% increase in those in receipt of concessionary tickets. In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 5,200 children and young people 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 and the Deputy has outlined that very well. The purpose of the Department's school transport scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of young people who reside remote from their nearest school. A review of the school transport scheme is under way. It is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability and ensuring it serves students and their families adequately. Significant consultation is taking place as a consequence of the review.

Also as a consequence of the review, a public survey was carried out in respect of parents, guardians and students who use the service and those who do not. A broad array of stakeholders, including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Departments, were consulted as part of the review. Phase 1 of the review has been completed. On foot of the results, we introduced a scheme whereby post-primary students who were attending their nearest or next nearest school would be eligible. Phase 2 has been completed. Phase 3 will be completed imminently.

On the topic raised by the Deputy, Bus Éireann will review applications and plan routes during the summer months for the upcoming school year. However, it is important to note that there are two specific dates with regard to facilitating Bus Éireann to do its work. First, the application date for those who were interested in applying to the school transport system was 28 April. Second, the closing date for payment or providing medical details for tickets for the 2023-24 school year is Friday, 9 June. In fairness to Bus Éireann, it is only after this date that appropriate and complete knowledge will be available on the application, with it having not just been received, but paid for. At that point, services will be planned for the upcoming school year.

Pending completion of the review, there will be no removal or downsizing of buses or routes for the 2023-24 school year. However, if families have applied to attend their nearest school, with regard to ethos and language, and have been advised by the school authorities that it is full, the Department of Education will consider if students can be deemed eligible for transport to their next-nearest school. These families can submit details to the school transport section in the Department of Education, where their request can be assessed.

The Deputy has referenced that, in his view, more than 50 young people would be making an application and asked what the provision might be by Bus Éireann. To be fair, the date for receipt of applications has passed. The Deputy has acknowledged there has been a reduction in terms of the moneys required, in that it costs €75 at post-primary level and €50 at primary level. These moneys are to be paid or details with regard to medical card are to be made available only by Friday, 9 June. A more complete judgment of the requirement will be made at that point.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her response. I ask her to ask the Department to sanction a service from Cobh to Carrigtohill for the next school year in order to facilitate the young people involved. The parents have already done what the Minister has suggested; they have applied, but they have been told there is no bus service. We have many girls who are now discommoded. The cost is horrendous. I contend that they cannot realistically apply to the nearest school now, because some of them are in third, fourth or fifth year. Changing schools would mean a complete disruption of classes, subject choice, career choice and everything else. The actual distance involved is very short. The Minister did not mention Cobh or Carrigtohill at all. I received a similar response to a parliamentary question earlier. I suggest that the Minister go back to the Department and tell it to sanction this bus service from Carrigtohill to Midleton for the young people involved. It would make a massive difference to the families. There is no bus service there at present, or any way of getting from one place to another and Cobh does not have the capacity either. Perhaps the Minister will come back to me offline and tell me what can be done here. Some of these parents do not drive. I am told it that it is costing people up to €500 per annum in some instances. That is horrendous. This is an issue that needs the Minister's personal intervention. I sat in that chair for a while and I know what it means. The Minister has to call in the officials and say that there is a problem and that we want a solution. She knows the area in question well. She wants to do right by these girls because she taught in that school and knows exactly what I am talking about. We cannot allow this to continue. There is stress and strain on girls and a danger to them because they are hanging around in the evening waiting for a bus that might not come.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update him on school transport. I reiterate that all eligible pupils who have applied on time this year have been facilitated for the 2023-24 school year. In addition, there has been a 40% increase in the number of concessionary tickets issued to the relevant pupils for the current school year in comparison with the number issued for the 2021-22 school year. There are criteria, that is, the student is living 4.8 km from his or her nearest or next nearest school, but there is a review under way. We must allow the review to be completed. It would not be fair to make a unilateral decision on one specific school. It is important that we allow the review to run its course. We have made concessions, as an interim measure, while the review is up and running, with regard to eligibility for the student to attend his or her second nearest school. If it is a case that the student's first or second school is full and he or she can produce confirmation of such from the school, the student will be eligible for transport to the third-nearest school. However, we must allow the review to be completed. Applications will be will adjudicated on or after 9 June.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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When will the review be completed?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Phases 1 and 2 have been completed. It is expected that phase 3, which is the final phase, will be completed imminently. However, that will involve the sharing of information. It will have to go to the Government to be signed off and there will have to be discussion and negotiation with a variety of Departments, most notably, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, with regard to what will be involved.