Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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832. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue on a matter raised by a school (details supplied) in April 2020. [14128/21]

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 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.

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.

Applications for school transport should be made on-line on Bus Éireann’s website at www.buseireann.ie.  Bus Éireann, who operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department, will contact all applicants regarding their eligibility for school transport.

Children who are eligible and who apply and pay on time are accommodated on transport services where such services are in operation. A service may be established where a sufficient number of eligible pupils, within an area apply for transport.

Children who apply for transport but who are not eligible are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport is to the nearest school, having regard for ethos and language.

In certain areas, families who choose to send their children to schools other than their nearest school sometimes diminish the chance of a service being established to their nearest school.  Officials from School Transport of my Department have contacted the school referred to by the Deputy with regard to the issues they have raised in their correspondence.