Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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542. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50409/21]

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 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were 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 my Department’s School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2kms at primary and 4.8kms at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.  

All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time are accommodated on school transport services for the 2021/22 school year where such services are in operation. 

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and may be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated.  Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann allocates tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.  

The pupil referred to by the Deputy resides 7.5 km from home to their nearest school and 13.1 km from home to their school of attendance.

The pupil is not eligible for transport under the terms of the Scheme as they are not attending their nearest school.

Bus Éireann has advised that at present the existing school transport service is currently operating to capacity and there are no seats available.

Bus Éireann has also advised that no application has been received for the child referred to by the Deputy for the 2020/21 school year.