Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress which has been made by her Department to date in the implementation of measures to assist parents and guardians with the cost of school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13351/22]

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 School Transport Schemes children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest primary school  or reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.  The grant amount is distance related and is payable annually at a fixed daily rate, to each eligible family, regardless of the number of children from the same family, travelling to a particular school.

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.  In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.

A Special Transport Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided to families of eligible children in certain situations, for example where Bus Éireann is not in a position to provide a transport service or where a  child's age or care needs are such as to make the provision of a transport service impracticable.  The rate of grant payable is calculated at 39.12 cent per kilometre from home to school for the first 6,437 kilometres and 21.22 cent per kilometre thereafter. Payment is based on the number of days that the families provided transport for their children.

With regard to the annual cost of school transport tickets, as part of the cost of living measures announcement by Government on 10 February 2022 for policy measures to mitigate the cost of living, for the 2022/2023 school year the annual school transport cap per family will be reduced from the current cap of €220 to €150 per family at primary level and from the current cap of €650 to €500 per family at post-primary level.

Eligible children holding valid medical cards and eligible children with special educational needs remain exempt from paying the annual charge.

Applications for school transport for the 2022/23 school year opened Monday 24 January 2022.  The closing date for applications is Friday 29 April 2022.

The facility to pay/enter medical card details for school transport for the 2022/23 school year will be open in mid-June with a closing date for payment of Friday 29^thJuly 2022. 

The reduction in the maximum family contribution will take effect for the 2022/2023 school year.