Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a pupil (details supplied) was instructed to change bus for their school transport, given there is sufficient capacity on the bus they had been using; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47415/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  

In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures. 

Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year. 

Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy cannot be accommodated on the service mentioned as the service is operating to capacity.

In some instances at the beginning of the school year some families may prefer to drop or collect their children from school for a period of time.  This may continue on odd days throughout the school year too, based on the family circumstances.

It is recognised that all pupils issued with tickets will not travel every morning and every evening.  In addition, certain after school activities may also result in pupils not travelling on certain days.

Bus Éireann organises for vehicles to be full to capacity with tickets based on applications received and based on the seating capacity of the vehicle.  It is not feasible to issue additional tickets over and above the seating capacity of the vehicle which could result in a potential overload situation arising and all pupils not being carried on the service.

However, Bus Éireann has also advised that the child referred was successful in obtaining a seat on board another school transport service to the school they are attending within the distance guidelines for drop off and pick up points.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when school transport will be provided for pupils (details supplied) attending a national school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47416/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. In the past school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.

My Department and Bus Éireann will continue to provide School Transport Scheme services in line with the process that was in place for the 2021/2022 school year for children arriving to Ireland from Ukraine. Full information on the process is available on Gov.ie.

Children who for the first time require School Transport for the 2022/2023 school year will need to apply in line with this process. Due to the ongoing situation with accommodation, where there has been, and may continue to be, significant movement of families, all Ukrainian children who had availed of School Transport for the 2021/22 school year need to re-apply for transport for the 2022/23 school year in line with this process.

My Department has received applications for school transport from the pupils referred to by the Deputy and these applications have been logged onto Bus Éireann's School Transport portal. Bus Éireann are continuing to process applications they are receiving from my Department and will be in contact with the relevant support organisation when transport has been arranged. 

While every effort will be made to ensure school transport services are up and running as they are required,  given the ongoing movement and arrival of families, it may in some cases take some time to arrange services for families as information becomes available for those who require school transport.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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179. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a bus will be provided under the school transport scheme for pupils travelling from Swords, County Dublin to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47420/22]

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, were 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 Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

In general children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest post primary school/post primary centre.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. 

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Bus Éireann has advised pupils travelling from the area referred to by the Deputy are not attending their nearest school having regard to language and in this regard are not eligible for transport under the terms of the scheme.

Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address a school transport matter in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47430/22]

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, were 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, my 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.

I am pleased to advise that this pupil has been deemed eligible to the school they are attending. Bus Éireann advise they are currently undertaking the tender procurement process and are seeking to find a contractor to operate the service for the child referred to by the Deputy.  Bus Éireann will be in contact with the family directly to confirm when a service has been established.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  

In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures. 

Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year. 

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Generally, pupils residing in the area mentioned by the Deputy are not eligible for transport to the post primary centre referred to by the Deputy as it is not their nearest post primary centre.

There are currently 6 mainstream school transport services which operate from the surrounding areas of the locality in question to the post primary centre mentioned by the Deputy. Please see table below which outlines the information regarding each mainstream school transport service.

4 mainstream concessionary pupils were unsuccessful in obtaining concessionary seats. All eligible on time applicants and ticket request pupils have been accommodated with tickets for the 2022/2023 school year. 

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when she proposes to resolve a school transport issue affecting parents and children in the Emo, Vicarstown and Ballybrittas area of County Laois, the particulars of which have been fully outlined to Bus Éireann and are well known to her Department for many weeks; and if she will assist in bringing matters to a satisfactory conclusion. [47470/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  

In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures. 

School Transport ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.

Bus Éireann are processing applications and issuing tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service.

The normal eligibility criteria of the scheme still apply and tickets continue to be allocated in line with this criteria.  Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible.

Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

With regard to the matters raised, for pupils residing in the area outlined by the Deputy, Bus Éireann have confirmed that as this area is in the middle of three Post Primary Centres.  In order to ascertain a family’s eligibility status, it would depend on where they reside.  There is currently one mainstream school transport service operating from the area referred to by the Deputy to the Post Primary Centre in question. 

The service is a 53 seat large vehicle with 39 mainstream eligible and 14 mainstream concessionary tickets issued on board.

In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time for the 2022/2023 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year.

In relation to the second area outlined by the Deputy, for pupils attending the school in question, again, eligibility status would depend on where each family reside..  For the 2022/2023 school year there were 5 applications made from pupils in this area, 2 were deemed eligible the remaining 3 are deemed concessionary.   

There is currently no service available from the area outlined by the Deputy to the school in question as there needs to be 10 or more eligible applicants to warrant the establishment of a school transport service.

Further information on the eligibility of the scheme can be found at: www.gov.ie/schooltransport.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school transport ticket will be allocated to a pupil (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47476/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021. 

In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.

Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year pending completion of the review of the School Transport Scheme. This will mean that transport arrangements will continue to be provided for a number of post-primary students who are attending their second nearest school, who have applied and registered on time and who live more than 4.8km from their nearest school.  Families who normally would pay an annual ticket charge will not be charged a fee for their school bus ticket for the 2022/23 school

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random selection process.

Bus Éireann has advised that no ticket request was received for the pupil referred to by the Deputy by the deadline of 29/07/2022.

The existing service is currently operating to capacity and there are no seats available at present.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the transport service to a primary school (details supplied) will be extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47519/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.  In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.  

In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures. 

Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year. 

Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for transport and has been issued a ticket. 

Bus Éireann have reviewed the request submitted and have advised that it is not possible to operate around the loop as mentioned in the correspondence due to time constraints as this vehicle operates a post primary route before this primary service.

However Bus Éireann's local office will make contact with the family directly with regard to other possible pick up options.