Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Martin for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley.

Before I address the specific issues raised, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme. The 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 daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. There has been a 21% increase in tickets issued to eligible students and a 38% increase in tickets issued to concessionary students in the 2022-23 school year compared with the previous one. In addition, in the current school year school transport scheme services are being provided for over 4,500 children who have arrived in 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 Department's school transport scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Children are eligible for transport at primary school 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 as determined by the Department and Bus Éireann having regard to the ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are now accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the current 2022-23 school year and will continue for the 2023-24 school year pending completion of the review. This means that transport is provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second-nearest school, and who apply and pay by the closing dates. 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.

In regard to the specific issues raised by the Senator, it is understood that the pupils in the area referred to are attending their third- or fourth-closest school and are therefore not eligible for transport under the terms of the school transport scheme. If families have applied to attend their nearest school in regard to ethos and language and have been advised by the school authorities that it is full, the Department will consider whether students can be deemed eligible for transport to the next-nearest school. These families have been asked to submit details to the school transport section in this regard where their requests can be assessed.

A review of the school transport scheme commenced in February 2021. 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. Phase I of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school but attend their next-nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.

Following consideration of the report for the 2021-22 school year the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who were otherwise eligible for school transport but were attending their second-nearest school and had applied and paid on time. These measures have been continued for the current 2022-23 school year and will again continue for the 2023-24 school year pending completion of the review. These measures mean that transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and who are attending their second-nearest school and who apply for school transport by 28 April 2023 and pay for the ticket or enter medical card details by 9 June 2023. These measures will again continue for the 2023-24 school year. Phase II of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase III which is well under way.