Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will engage with a school (details supplied) regarding a student who missed vital deadlines as a result of having no school transport and who requires additional resources to allow them time to catch up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56617/22]

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, the 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 the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible under the terms of the scheme and a sanction has been sent by School Transport Section of my Department to Bus Éireann for the establishment of a new service for the pupil to the school referred to by the Deputy.

Bus Éireann have tendered this service in line with procurement guidelines and are in the process of allocating a contractor to operate this service, once a contractor has been sourced, the service will commence. Bus Éireann will liaise with families directly with regard to this matter at that stage.

Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore apply for the Special Transport Grant which is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. Families should contact School Transport Section at: school_transport@education.gov.ie for more information on this grant.