Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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433. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a child (details supplied) was not sanctioned for a school transport grant in view of the fact that they have complex needs; if the decision will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24935/20]

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 2019/2020 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 the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.

In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs.

In April 2019 a service was sanctioned for the child referred to by the Deputy. Bus Éireann has advised that the service in question was declined. A special transport grant has been offered to the family referred to by the Deputy.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which refunds will issue to persons who paid for school transport for the 2020/2021 school year that now do not wish to avail of the services. [24957/20]

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. 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.

The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020. All children who are eligible for school transport and who applied and paid by the deadline have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis and are facilitated where spare seats exits after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann allocates tickets using an agreed selection process. Bus Éireann has already issued refunds to a number of ineligible children who were unsuccessful in acquiring a ticket on services that are operating to capacity at present.

The School Transport Scheme Family Portal was temporarily closed for applications and payments on the 20^thAugust 2020. This temporary closure was necessary to complete the work required to issue tickets to families who at that time remained due to be allocated a ticket for school transport services for the 2020/2021 school year.

The School Transport Scheme Family Portal re-opened on the 7th of September. However, parents/guardians making an application/payment at this time for the 2020/2021 school year are reminded that the closing date for payments for the 20/21 school year was Tuesday 4^thAugust 2020. While it is possible to submit a payment, payments made at this time are now late. Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year.

In addition, payments for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4^thAugust 2020 can only be considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route.

In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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435. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the overall provision she has made in respect of the grant to support persons that will avail of private transport arrangements regarding school transport for the 2020/2021 school year. [24958/20]

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. 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.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/2021 school year where such services are in operation.

Based on the public health advice published in early July, my Department had been planning for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place. The Department had been engaging intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year. Updated health advice was received from NPHET on the 18th August, which impacts on the operation of post-primary school transport services. This advice stated that for secondary school students on school transport, strict distancing should be ensured in line with that on public transport along with the wearing of face coverings.

The Department has been engaging with Bus Éireann in respect of these plans, in order to implement measures so that any services that can operate from the start of the school year at 50% capacity will do so and over the coming period all other post-primary transport services will be re-organised and additional services will be provided as required to allow for physical distancing.

Every effort continues to provide a safe transport service for when schools re-open. However, if parents decide not to avail of transport services they may request a refund on the cost of their ticket for the 2020/2021 school year.

For those children who are eligible for transport under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme and whose parents decide not to use post-primary transport for the 2020/2021 school year, in light of the impact of most recent health advice, the Department will provide a grant to support them with the cost of private transport arrangements. Parents were asked to inform the Department by Friday the 4th of September if they wished to avail of this option.

Grants will be paid at the end of the school year following receipt of relevant documentation confirming the number of days the child/ren has attended school in the 2020/2021 school year. The grant is based on the distance a family resides from their school of eligibility, with a minimum daily rate of €2.60 and a maximum daily rate of €5.10. Grants are not available to children who are not eligible under the terms of the transport scheme.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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436. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of providing extra services on the school transport scheme in order to utilise more buses in order to comply with physical distancing on services for the 2020/2021 school year. [24959/20]

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. 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.

Based on the public health advice published in early July, and the updated advice received from the HPSC on 7^thAugust and from NPHET on the 18^thAugust, the Department has been planning for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, in line with those required on public transport, which is using 50 per cent of passenger capacity. The planning to date is in accordance with the Government decision of 18th August, which set out that arrangements for school transport would proceed as planned for re-opening but the Minster for Education and Skills and the Minister for Health and other relevant Ministers will review measures, including any additional resources, to ensure the safe operation of school transport for secondary school children.

School Transport Scheme services commenced operation on the 26^thAugust 2020. All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on transport services for the 2020/2021 school year where such services are in operation.

My Department has been engaging intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year. My Department has also been engaging with Bus Éireann on the logistics involved with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, in line with those required on public transport, which is using 50 per cent of passenger capacity.

An assessment of the resources required to implement physical distancing on all post-primary services has been undertaken and, in line with the Government decision, my Department is reviewing this information in consultation with other relevant Departments with a view to implementing the measures required to ensure the operation of school transport for post-primary children that is aligned to updated health advice received from NPHET on the 18^thof August.