Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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569. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a family can be paid the remote area transport grant retrospectively for the 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2020/2021 school years having already received approval for 2021/2022 school year if the family's circumstances and transport options have not changed over any of those school years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37943/22]

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. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.

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.

An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application and payment for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

The family referred to by the Deputy resides 7.7 km from home to their school of attendance and closest school. A transport application was received from the family on 25th February 2021 for the 2021/22 school year. As there is no school transport service in the area, the family is eligible for the Remote Area Grant for the school year 2021-22, payment of which is made during the summer months.

In the case the Deputy referred to, the first application was made in 2021 for the 2021-2022 school year. It is not the policy of the Department to make retrospective payments where no application was made for the years in question.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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570. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered increasing the special needs school transportation grant given the increased cost of petrol and diesel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37960/22]

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 the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.

In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

A Special Transport Grant (STG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided to families of eligible children in certain situations.

The rate of grant payable is calculated at 39.12 cent per kilometre from home to school for the first 6,437 kilometres and 21.22 cent per kilometre thereafter. Payment is based on the number of days that the families provided transport for their children.

While there are no plans currently to increase the rate of payment for the STG, the Deputy will be aware, that Government announced a reduction in excise on fuel will result 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 families at this time.