John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the operation of the school transport scheme in order that it treats children of no religion the same as children from minority religions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49916/22]

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 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. The cost of the scheme was €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 the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

As the Deputy may be aware, my Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021. The review of the School Transport Scheme 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.

Following commencement of the review the Steering Group presented me with an initial interim report in June 2021, with regard to eligibility and with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, for the 2021/2022 school year, I approved the extension of temporary alleviation measures for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time. These measures will be continued for the current school year, pending completion of the review and means transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school.

Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are taking place in the current phase of the review which involves a detailed analysis of the objectives of the Scheme, after this work, the final phase of the review will examine issues around scheme performance, scheme expenditure and will include a full examination of the current eligibility criteria including the issue of ethos in determining eligibility for the scheme.

While work on the review is being impacted somewhat by challenges including the pandemic and the impact on resources arising from the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, it is anticipated that the completion of the final phases of the review will be in the shortest timeframe possible.

The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.