Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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445. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Bus Éireann will continue to provide school transport for children with special needs; the arrangements she is making to provide these services for the period 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14291/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.

The purpose of my 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.

In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

With regard to the re-opening of schools for the 2020/21 academic year, my Department is currently engaging intensively with Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise from public health advice in planning for the reopening of schools. The operation of school transport services, including Special Educational Needs transport services, in September 2020 will be informed by the outcome of this planning for re-opening schools.

In October 2019 my Department announced a review of the school transport scheme with a view to ensuring funds are being spent in the most effective way to meet the objectives of the scheme. Terms of reference and the scope of the review have been drafted and a Steering Group has been established. The review will encompass the Special Educational Needs Transport Scheme.

Neasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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446. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reopen and extend the April 2020 deadline for school transport applications in view of the announcement from Dublin Bus in June 2020 to cancel all of its school bus contracts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14310/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

The purpose of my 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.

Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child’s home to the relevant school.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

While schools have been closed since 12th March 2020 in an effort to contain the spread Covid 19, the online facility to apply for school transport for the upcoming school year has remained open to families, with the closing date for applications having been the 24th April. The option to make payment for transport for the new school year is now open with a closing date for payment on the 31stJuly 2020. There are no plans to extend these closing dates.

While the application deadline has passed it remains open to families wishing to avail of school transport services to apply on-line on Bus Éireann website at www.buseireann.ie. Late applications may be facilitated where spare seats exist after eligible children who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated.

If there are specific queries regarding eligibility or availability of services, families are advised to contact their local Bus Éireann office or School Transport Section of my Department.