Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the school bus routes for County Wicklow schools will be finalised in order that parents can start the application process for concessionary tickets; if his attention has been drawn to the level of uncertainty this is creating for families that are unsure of the transport arrangements for September 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19457/20]

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.

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 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.

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 Arising from this, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.