Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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287. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the scenario with respect to the school transport scheme where the children attend a Gaelscoil which is not inside their catchment boundary area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60340/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

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.

Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who choose to attend their nearest all-English school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.

Children who choose to attend their nearest school/unit that teaches through the medium of Irish may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school. 

Language in this regard refers to the nearest Gaelcholáiste, Gaelscoil or Aonad, whichever is the nearest facility teaching through the medium of Irish.