Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1023. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of eligible applications that have been received and the number of eligible tickets issued for the school transport scheme in the 2021-2022 school year. [30209/22]

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.

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. All children who are eligible and who complete the application and payment process on time are accommodated on school transport where such services are in operation.

Bus Éireann has informed the Department in the 2021/22 school year the number of eligible applications that have been received amounted to 79,153 children and the number of eligible tickets issued amounted to 77,508. The difference of 1,645 relates to pupils who were unsuccessful in obtaining a seat because of late applications or payments and pupils for whom there was no service available and who were offered the Remote Area Grant. This figure does not include pupils for whom no payment was made in relation to their application.