Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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470. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of the steering group in reviewing the school transport scheme which excludes thousands of students from school transport each year. [24284/21]

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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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.

In October 2019, my predecessor announced a review of the school transport scheme with a view to taking a fresh look at the service and its broader effectiveness and sustainability. Given the evolving situation with Covid-19 the work of the Steering Group had been delayed. However, an initial meeting of the Steering Group was recently held in order to recommence the process, which will continue over the coming period. The review is being conducted to ensure that the school transport is fit for purpose and that it serves students and their families adequately.

This review will build on the proposals in the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining the options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme;examining the options for providing a better value and a better service for students, including and examining issues such as the nearest or next-nearest school.

It is planned that the Steering Group will report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report later this year with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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474. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of transport places that were made available for children to take part in the summer education programme 2020; the number of children to avail of transport during the programme in 2020; the cost of transport for the programme in 2020; the proportion of this which was spent on direct transport; the proportion of this which was spent on transport grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24290/21]

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of transport places that were made available for children to take part in the summer education programme for children with complex needs in 2020; the number of children to avail of transport during the programme in 2020; the cost of transport for the programme in 2020; the proportion of this which was spent on direct transport and transport grants, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24300/21]

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 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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.

With regard to transport arrangements for the Summer Programme 2020, as the provision of transport was not possible due to Covid-19 restrictions at that time, my Department committed to providing grant funding to support families with the cost of transport arrangements for those children who were eligible for school transport and who were approved to participate in the school based Summer Programme.

School Transport Section has processed payment of these grants to all eligible families for which all required details had been received. To date, payment has been made to over 900 families at a cost of over €400,000 and School Transport Section is continuing to process payments of these grants to families who are eligible as information is received.