Written answers

Wednesday, 27 January 2021

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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470. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 422 of 13 January 2020, if school transport will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [4196/21]

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 current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.

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.

Bus Eireann has confirmed that the child to whom the Deputy refers is eligible for School Transport. Medical card details for School Transport for the 2020/2021 school year were received on 7th July 2020. As this is a family account there are two other siblings associated with the account. Payment details for these siblings were submitted on 8th September 2020 and as such were submitted late. In the case of a family account, no ticket is released when either more than 50% balance is due to be paid, or a medical card for another applicant is incorrect.

However, Bus Eireann has confirmed that due to additional capacity created arising from social distancing being implemented on a school transport service, a ticket will issue to pupil to whom the Deputy refers. Bus Éireann will be in contact with the family in this regard.

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