Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

32. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will instruct Bus Éireann to ensure school bus services are in place to deal with the demand for the commencement of the school year in August 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23809/24]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Chair has put me up again for Question No. 32. Has Bus Éireann been allocated the necessary resources to make sure there is the adequate number of buses and sizes of buses in place for the school year in September? Last year, we saw lots of problems arise. Buses were not in place, some started off and after a week they stopped. A lot went on and there was a lot of stress. It needs to be planned properly for this year. I know payments are now coming so the volume that will be required should be apparent shortly.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are currently 161,000 young people transported every day via Bus Éireann. It is an enormous number and an important service. I have said previously in reply to other queries that planning for the 2024-25 school year begins in the previous year. It is well under way at this point. Applications for places on the buses opened in April and I think the closing date is around 7 June for payment or medical card details or whatever the case may be, so we will have a clearer picture at that point of the numbers required, earlier than in previous years. It was early last year as well.

Contracts are entered into in good faith with subcontractors. It was very disappointing, on occasion, last year when contracts were handed back the night before the school run commenced or at some point along the way. Obviously, everybody is dependent on the bus service running as it is supposed to.

This year, as in previous years, we are ensuring it is a reduced fare. It is €50 for a primary school child, which costs the State €1,100 per child. It is €75 at post-primary, which costs the State €1,100. It is €125 for a family ticket. It is very good value. All of the engagement and planning work has been ongoing between the Department and Bus Éireann as well as engagement with parents or guardians who applied early. We look forward to a successful year ahead.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I know a lot of money and effort goes into it. At the end of the day, it is the inspectors on the ground who have to deal with parents and students who might have a ticket for a bus but there is no bus to bring them. The parents then have to try to get them to school and they have to go to work. In some cases, great work is done to try to rectify the situation under awful pressure at a time of the year when everybody is trying to get back into the school term. While I understand the application process is open, the payment process has to be completed by 7 June, the week after next, and planning goes on, the contracts entered into with bus companies and private operators should be put in place earlier. There should be a heavy penalty if they pop out of it, so to speak, the night before they are supposed to provide a service. Students and parents are left in a vacuum for up to three or four months until it is put together again. I respect all the problems associated with it.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I do not underestimate the challenge it has posed for parents. Of the more than 161,000 young people transported, the vast majority were transported seamlessly and positively and it worked as it was supposed to. There were isolated instances here and there. I do not underestimate the difficulty that caused for parents and guardians, especially the last-minute nature. It is far from ideal. It is not acceptable that a contract can be returned the night before the route is supposed to commence. There has been considerable engagement by Bus Éireann with everybody concerned and between my Department and Bus Éireann. I met Bus Éireann on this matter so that it will be as smooth a transition as possible in September. You cannot account for the unexpected but every possible procedure has been put in place and every possible requirement on behalf of all involved is being met, as far as we are concerned. The Deputy referenced to it being earlier. We put it in place earlier last year and this year to facilitate earlier roll-out. As the Deputy is aware, we are also piloting two different types of scheme this year as part of school transport 2030, which means we will look at engaging with public transport and school transport. A second pilot will look at something similar and some of the other recommendations.