Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene in the case of a person (details supplied) to provide transport to attend school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26387/20]

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

The School Transport Scheme Family Portal was temporarily closed for applications and payments on the 20th August 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 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 2020/21 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020.

Bus Eireann has confirmed that payment for a ticket for the child referred to by the Deputy was received on the 15th September 2020 for the 2020/2021 school year and as such their payment is late.  

Late applications/payments for post-primary seats will be only considered when 50% capacity required by new Covid-19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route.  The timeframe for this will vary from route to route and may take a number of weeks to complete. 

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

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the catchment area for bus routes to schools in Fermoy to include Glenville (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26420/20]

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.

Under the terms of the Department's Post-Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

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, but who complete 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. 

Bus Éireann, who operate school transport on behalf of my Department, has advised that the children from the area referred to by the Deputy are not eligible under the terms of the scheme for school transport to the post-primary centre referred to as this is not their nearest post-primary centre.

Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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453. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure additional school buses are put on in many rural areas in County Kerry and nationwide for secondary school students (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26490/20]

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. 

School Transport Scheme services for the current school year commenced operation on the 26th August 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.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis and are facilitated where spare seats exist 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.

Based on the public health advice published in early July, my 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. The 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.  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.

My Department is engaging with Bus Éireann in respect of these plans, 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. In addition, Bus Éireann invited applications from operators who wish to be considered for the provision of additional post-primary services that may be required.

Applications/payments for primary seats will be considered and tickets may be allocated on existing services where capacity remains.  Applications/payments for post-primary seats completed or made after the closing date for payment of 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid-19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route. The timeframe for this will vary from route to route and may take a number of weeks to complete.

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