Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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614. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has plans to raise the grant amount for school transportation in view of the huge increase in fuel prices and the lack of any increase in the past number of years [34213/22]

Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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632. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she intends to increase the rates of pay of the special transport grant for children with special educational needs, given the increased cost of fuel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34507/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 614 and 632 together.

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.

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).  School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Following the application process where there is a transport service available for eligible children, Bus Éireann will liaise with eligible families regarding the school transport arrangements.  Where there is no service available for eligible children, School Transport Section of my Department will liaise with families with regard to sanction of a special transport grant toward the cost of private transport arrangements.

While there are currently no plans to amend transport grant rates at this time, the Government announced a reduction in excise on fuel will resulted in a decrease in the cost of fuel.  The reduction of 20 cent per litre on petrol and 15 cent per litre on diesel will be in place until 31 August at an estimated cost of €320m. This is a national measure aimed at easing the financial burden on contractors and families at this time.

The Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021.  The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme and how it currently operates, its broader effectiveness and sustainability and that it adequately supports the provision of services to students and their families. 

The review encompasses the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs and the Primary and Post-Primary School Transport Schemes in terms of how each element of the schemes currently operate, to include eligibility criteria, trends, costs and cost drivers, and overall effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the schemes.  The review will also examine the potential for integration of different strands of the scheme and a more co-ordinated approach with other Government Departments that also use transport services.  

Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is currently underway.  The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.