Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issue raised, I would like to provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme.

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 149,000 children, including in excess of 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. There has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and 38% tickets issued to concessionary tickets in the current 2022-23 school year compared to the 202-22 school year.

In addition, the school transport scheme service is being provided in the current school year for more than 5,200 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338 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. A review of the school transport scheme 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 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but not attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.

Following consideration of this report, for the 2021-22 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are 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 in the 2023-24 school year pending completion of the review. For the 2023-24 school year, the measures mean that transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school, attend their second nearest school, apply for school transport by Friday, 28 April 2023 and pay for a ticket or enter medical card details by 9 June 2023. Phase 2 of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase 3, which is well under way.

For the 2023-24 school year, it remains that children are eligible for transport at primary level if they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school and at post-primary level if 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 or Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. 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. In addition, as mentioned, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the 2023-24 school year, pending completion of the review. Children who are not eligible for school transport but 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.

With regard to the specific issue raised by the Senator regarding the lack of transport in the Roosky and Termonbarry area, Bus Éireann has advised that, in general, pupils residing in the Roosky and Termonbarry area are not eligible for transport to Strokestown post-primary centre as they are not attending their nearest school. Officials in the school transport section in the Department of Education have invited the Senator to supply further information so that Bus Éireann can confirm the eligibility status of the students and the relevant distance, which is measured from the student's home to his or her school of attendance. The Senator can submit further information to the relevant email address and officials in the school transport section will be happy to assist.