Written answers

Tuesday, 15 June 2021

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Pa DalyPa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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699. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transportation will be approved for a student (details supplied). [31912/21]

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 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 cases where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance the pupil resides from their next nearest school having regard to ethos and language.

If a family has further information in regard to the closest school being full they should contact School Transport Section of my Department. Further information in this regard is available on my Department's website www.education.ie.

Such requests are considered on a case by case basis following documentary evidence being submitted by the family, including but not limited to:

- The detailed steps taken to enrol the pupil in the nearest and next nearest schools.

- Evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school.

- A letter from the School Authorities confirming that the school was full at time of enrolment.

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