Written answers

Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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420. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a review of an application by a person (details supplied) for the provision of school transport for children with special educational needs will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6659/21]

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 the 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.

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 a unit that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

In this case, it has been reported that the school of attendance is not the nearest school to the pupil’s home that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs and therefore the child is not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme.

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