Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address a matter in relation to school transport for a child (details supplied) [3666/22]

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 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021.

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 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 as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Pupils who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme. Concessionary transport is subject to a number of conditions including that there is a suitable service, as determined by Bus Éireann, operating into their education centre and that there is spare capacity on the service.

Bus Éireann has advised that an application for Post-Primary School Transport (mainstream) was received for the child referred to by the Deputy to the school they are attending. However, Bus Éireann has also confirmed that the child is not attending their nearest school and that there is no service that the child can be accommodated on to their school of attendance.

The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if they 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 under Department of Education and Skills criteria. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.

School Transport Section of my Department has advised that they have not received an application under the terms of the scheme for children with special educational needs for the child referred to by the Deputy. The parent of the child is advised to contact the school principal to liaise with the SENO that is affiliated with the school with regard to an application for transport under the scheme for children with special educational needs.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will allow seat access for children (details supplied) for a school transport route. [3783/22]

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 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021.

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 Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

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

Following an application for school transport, children who are not eligible based on the criteria set out above are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats and can only be offered once there is spare capacity available.

Bus Éireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy resides 2.6kms from the school that they are attending and therefore they are not eligible for school transport. There was no spare capacity available to the pupils in question under the selection process for concessionary seats for the 21/22 school year.