Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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280. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 919 of 26 April 2022, if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22073/22]

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 Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms at primary and 4.8 kms 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 completed the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2022/23 school year where such services are in operation.

Bus Éireann have advised the pupils referred to by the Deputy are not attending their nearest post primary centre/school therefore are not eligible for school transport.

Children who are not eligible, but who apply for school transport on time are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats. Concessionary seats are subject to a number of conditions including the appropriate annual charge is paid. The Medical Card waiver is not applicable to children who are not eligible for school transport.