Written answers

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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427. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) can expect a decision on their application for school transport. [18349/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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.

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 2019/2020 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.

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

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Bus Éireann has advised that the children referred to by the Deputy are not attending their nearest primary and post primary schools and are therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme.

All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.  

Photo of Christopher O'SullivanChristopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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428. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to ensure there are enough places for school children on school buses when education institutions reopen (details supplied). [18646/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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.

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 2019/2020 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.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application ansd payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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429. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for the school transport system to ensure social distancing on school buses; if additional buses will be made available to the scheme; if each applying student will be guaranteed a bus seat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18919/20]

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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535. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a definitive plan on the reopening of schools will be made available to students and parents to allow for planning of childcare supports and school transport plans, in particular with school transport providers presently looking for payment for the school year 2020-2021 and supported home schooling when needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18921/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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.  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.

I have announced a comprehensive plan detailing a package of measures and resources to be provided to facilitate schools in re-opening.  I have also published a detailed roadmap for the full return to school. This roadmap set outs how schools will reopen for all students from the end of August.  It has been developed in line with public health advice issued by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the Roadmap for Society and Business and follows comprehensive and intensive engagement with all relevant stakeholders including Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise in planning for the operation of school transport services for the reopening of our schools. 

School Transport Scheme services operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department will fully operate as normal, in line with public health advice, when schools re-open for the 2020/2021 school year with the appropriate hygiene and other measures in place.   

Observing hygiene requirements will be a key priority and we will issue clear communications to all parents and students using school transport services to set out the requirements for those travelling on services.

In addition, Bus Éireann, in consultation with my Department, will provide information and guidance for their own employees and to contractors contracted to operate on the School Transport Scheme on the operation of services within the parameters of the public health advice and the return to work safely protocols

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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430. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that availed of the school transport system 2019-2020 in County Wexford; the number of students that made applications; the number of students that were unsuccessful in their application in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18920/20]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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.

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 2019/2020 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.

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

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Bus Éireann has advised that the number of students that availed of school transport services for the 2019/2020 school year in County Wexford; the number of students that made applications; the number of students that were unsuccessful is as follows;

Mainstream No of Applications Tickets Issued Not Paid Eligible - No Seats (All Applied/Paid Late) Concessionary - No Seats
Eligible 3948 3914 11 23
Concessionary 1829 1800 7 22 (only 8 Applied & Paid on Time)
Total 5777 5714 18 23 22 (only 8 Applied & Paid on Time)
418 pupils also availed of school transport for children with special educational needs transport during that year.

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