Written answers

Tuesday, 1 February 2022

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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470. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a review of school transport needs will be carried out for a school (details supplied) in respect of school transport under the primary school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4477/22]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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471. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided to pupils (details supplied) in view of the fact that they are entitled to school transport; if capacity will be increased on existing services to facilitate them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4478/22]

Photo of Charles FlanaganCharles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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472. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available to LocalLink which is willing to provide school transport for a school (details supplied) in which a number of parents are experiencing difficulties in transporting their children to school due to a private operator ceasing operations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4479/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 470 to 472, inclusive, together.

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.

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

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and are offered seats where capacity exists after all eligible children have been catered for.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed should apply on-line in a timely manner to Bus Éireannon Bus Éireann’s website atwww.buseireann.ie. The portal for school transport applications for the 2022/23 is now open and all applications should be submitted by the closing date of 29 April 2022.

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. Such requests are considered on a case by case basis following documentary evidence being submitted by the family.

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

With regard to the school in question, Bus Éireann has advised that to date there are no mainstream services operating to this school.

Bus Éireann has advised that their Local Office has been in contact with the Principal of this school and explained the terms of the scheme.

For the 2021/22 school year, 1 mainstream concessionary application was recently made for transport to this school.

For the 2022/23 school year, 20 mainstream concessionary applications have been received and no mainstream eligible applications have been received to date for this school.

Any private transport arrangements made by families to this school are outside of the remit of the School Transport Scheme.

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