Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a reimbursement scheme will be put in place for voluntary taxi drivers who are transporting Ukrainian children to and from local schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18915/22]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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300. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department intends to help with school transport for Ukrainians who have arrived in Glenbeigh, County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18913/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 300 together.

My Department, in consultation with Bus Éireann, is putting in place a new process to facilitate the provision of School Transport Scheme Services for children arriving to Ireland from Ukraine. Children will be accommodated on existing services where there is capacity. Children will not be charged for their ticket and normal eligibility criteria will be waived. If there is no service or capacity, a grant can be offered to the family as appropriate.

Further details will issue shortly in regard to this process. In the meantime, Department is dealing with requests on a case by case basis. Queries/requests should be addressed to School Transport at transportapplications@education.gov.ieor by phone during office hours to 057 9325467.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine the case of a child (details supplied) who requires bus transport to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18903/22]

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.

In general children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest post primary school/post primary centre.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Bus Éireann has advised that while the pupil referred to by the Deputy is attending a school that is not their nearest school and therefore does not meet the eligibility requirements, the pupil has been successful in obtaining a concessionary ticket and has commenced on the Bus Éireann School Transport service on 5 April 2022.