Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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458. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a bus route (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51616/22]

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.

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.

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.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of my Department. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the scheme nationally.

Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.

Bus Éireann has confirmed that pupils residing in the areas referred to by the Deputy are generally eligible for transport.

The nearest service pickup point to a school transport service operates from the North Square, Sneem, which is approximately 7.0 km to 8.0 km from the areas referred. Bus Eireann has advised that the local office is currently assessing if a school transport service should be re-routed to cater for the pupils referred to by the Deputy. Bus Eireann will contact the families concerned directly once the assessment has been finalised.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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459. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the previously promised school transport tickets are likely to issue to the children of a person (details supplied) in respect of whom one ticket was issued for three children, while subsequently informed by the relevant section that they would not receive any tickets, and was insulted when they tried to explain that there were several available seats on the bus in question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51620/22]

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.

The Deputy has been requested to provide further information in order to provide an informative response on the matter raised. Once received, I will ask Bus Éireann to provide a report and a response will issue directly.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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460. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an appeal against a decision not to provide a school bus for a person (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51669/22]

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.

The School Transport Appeals Board operate independently from the Department of Education. On 17th September 2022, an appeal in respect of this application was lodged with the School Transport Appeals Board. The Board will liaise directly with the appellant when the appeal is due for consideration.