Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I want to express mo bhuíochas to An Cathaoirleach for selecting this particular Commencement matter and I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien, to the Chamber and thank him for his attendance this morning to deal with this matter also.

This is a school transport matter and I know that the Minister of State has been in County Roscommon but perhaps not the part I am referring to. I am sure, however, he has been in our region at some time. North-east Roscommon is a beautiful area and the two villages and the hinterland around them which we are speaking about today is a fantastic community with lovely scenery, great communities and great families. Our issue at the moment is that we do not have a proper school bus service.

The Minister of State will full understand catchment areas. For someone living in the village of Roosky and the parish of Kilglass, Mohill school in County Leitrim is the nearest school. Termonbarry is on the River Shannon just inside County Roscommon. It is the first place someone comes to when crossing the Shannon. The catchment area for those people is the Longford schools. In those cases, the schools are full or are almost full. The second school option, which has been used by many of the parents and students, is Scoil Mhuire Strokestown.

For some time the parents have been trying to put in place a proper school transport bus system run by Bus Éireann and this has not been successful to date. I was asked yesterday evening to get some figures at somewhat short notice but more than 100 students and dozens of families are affected in north-east Roscommon. This creates all sorts of problems for people going to work in the morning where they have to do school runs first. Some people have engaged a private operator who runs part of the service there. Part of the Bus Éireann service comes to a certain point in the parish of Kilglass, but goes no further, and will not go into Roosky village. We have no Bus Éireann bus going into Termonbarry village. It is way beyond time that this matter was sorted out and for the people of that area to get what they deserve, which is a proper school transport system.

I welcome the fact that the Minister for Education and the Government are dealing with a review of the system. All the indications are that there will be changes in the system. The Minister of State may not be able to give me that kind of information this morning but tomorrow is the deadline in respect of getting everything done for the schoolchildren's passes for September 2023. I hope that by that time we will have something put in place, even if the full review is not published, where the Minister of State may have news as to when this review will be published. We are hopeful that something may be put in place that will be definite and will support the families and parents there because already, most of those students are going to Scoil Mhuire Strokestown. That is my old school and a great secondary school with more than 500 pupils. This is a fantastic school and I know that everybody is happy to attend it. We need, however, to get the transport system put in place so that we can take this burden off the parents and students and give that part of north-east Roscommon what many more areas have, which is a proper school bus service. If that is done, I assure the Minister of State the people will be very happy and appreciative of the Government with regard to this matter.

I know he understands my dilemma as I have had a word or two with them already but I hope we will have some light at the end of the tunnel and that we will be able to get to a point that this service will be put in place. We need to do away with the disenfranchising of the students and parents among my own community in north-east Roscommon where we are not getting that service.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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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.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. He has clarified a few things regarding the second nearest school, which he clearly set out. He said that the review is progressing, with the second part of the review on the way. He then stated:

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.

I know the Minister of State understands this. The local school is full, as are the schools in Longford. Most of these children are attending their second nearest school and the Minister of State clarified that such children can apply for school transport. I take on board the point relating to the information being supplied so that Bus Éireann can confirm eligibility. I got word on that yesterday evening and we are in the process of submitting the information. I hope that, come September, the matter will have been sorted out and there will be a system in place for those students and parents. That would be very much appreciated.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I again thank the Senator for the opportunity to update the House on school transport for the current school year. I reiterate that all eligible pupils who applied on time this year have now been facilitated on board a service for the 2022-23 school year. In addition, there has been a 40% increase in the number of tickets issued to concessionary pupils for the current school year compared with tickets issued for the 2021-22 school year.

The Senator referred to a section of my response. I questioned the officials on that section. They stated that the words "in general" are important in that context. They can only give a general steer on eligibility because they do not have the specifics.

Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail)
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Fair enough.

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The requirements in respect of distance and eligibility for the temporary alleviation measures are clear but they will be happy to engage with the Senator when he has more specifics. It is a good opportunity to remind people, as the Senator has done, that the closing date for applications is tomorrow. There is that small window and people who have not put in an application should do so as soon as possible.