Written answers

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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939. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the case of a person (details supplied) who has applied for the school transport grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28968/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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 the 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.

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.

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

I am pleased to advise that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs.

In March 2020 sanction was given to Bus Éireann to cater for the child referred to by the Deputy on a school transport service, but due to Covid 19 restrictions from March 2020, the pupil could only commence on this service from 26th August 2020.

The family have been informed that the Special Transport Grant (STG) has been sanctioned from the date of application up until the child referred to by the Deputy commenced on a school transport service. This STG is inclusive of a payment towards transport for July Provision 2020.

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