Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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12. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there can be flexibility in the 1 km rule for school transport where a number of children are forced to walk a narrow and dangerous road with no footpath to reach the current collection point; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23899/24]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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This question should refer to the 2.4 km rule and the case I have of children having to walk more than 1 km on a narrow and dangerous road. This is in the Boleyglass and Derryfada areas. I want to raise the issue of pick-up points. Children from a number of different households are all walking down the same narrow, dangerous road to the pick-up point. Can that be moved to accommodate them and to ensure their health and safety?

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 current school year more than 161,600 children are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country. This figure comprises more than 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02 million.

Under the current terms of the school transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km, as the Deputy pointed out, 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 as determined by the Department and Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport, who apply and who pay on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The remote area grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 km or more to or from a designated pick-up or set-down point.

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 will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of the Department. Safety of children travelling on the school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that such eligible children have a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the scheme nationally. Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 km to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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The issue is with regard to the pick-up points and to the common sense that is needed around this to ensure the health and safety of children. I know the Minister would agree with that. The school transport system is plagued by a lack of flexibility in an number of ways. As the Minister knows, the system needs to be reformed. We all know that the scheme is not a door-to-door service but at the same time there needs to be common sense applied in each situation. In rural areas, roads can be very dangerous, there are often no footpaths and in the winter months it can be really dark. We are not asking for the bus to go far out of its way. This would only require a small detour to collect safely a number of children. The important point is that the road used to be served by a school bus but was stopped when there were no children using it. Now that there are children using it, it should be reinstated. This is why I am asking the Minister to look at it. Some areas may go for a period of years with no children and then children move in to the area - and we are very grateful that they do, in those cases - and in those cases, the school bus system has to respond to facilitate those children.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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To be fair, the Deputy did not reference the route when the question was submitted. I will revert to her on this specific case. I will ask for it to be looked at.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Can we leave it at that then?

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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I really do appreciate that. I will give the Minister the postcodes and all of the other necessary information to be able to look at the issue.