John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
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340. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) will receive their payment under the school transport grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43366/20]

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 current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are 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 SEN Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the scheme children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

All eligible children are exempt from school transport charges and a Special Transport Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided in certain circumstances.

The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport. Given that there is no suitable service in the area to accommodate the pupil's needs, the parents are availing of the Special Transport Grant. Payment was recently processed for the period of September - October 2020 and funds should be in the parent's bank account shortly.