Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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507. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that will be taken to alleviate the issue of overcrowding on school buses from Kinlough and Bundoran to Ballyshannon, given that there is insufficient space due to an intake of new students from Ukraine, with insufficient space on existing transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54145/22]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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508. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a new school bus route can be established between Grange and Ballyshannon to cater for the demand for school transport in that area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54146/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 507 and 508 together.

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.

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 have 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.

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 year.

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 advised that pupil’s residing in the areas referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their nearest Post Primary Centre. However, Bus Eireann are currently assessing school transport routes and if seats become available, Bus Eireann will contact families directly.