Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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627. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a child (details supplied), who is currently eligible for school transport, can be accommodated on the 2pm school transport service being provided from their school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55587/22]

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.

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.

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.

Bus Eireann has confirmed that the pupil to which the Deputy refers is not eligible for transport as they are attending their fifth nearest primary school.

The family first submitted an application for transport 3rd February, 2022 for the 2022/23 school year and a ticket issued to the pupil on 17th August, 2022

If there is currently a seat available on an existing service at 14:00 collection time, the pupil can avail of this seat, if available on a concessionary basis.

However, if this service ceases to operate, the pupil will no longer be accommodated at 14.00 collection time.

Bus Éireann will contact the family directly with regard to any transport availability.