Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of extra school transport places that have been provided since the initial allocation in September 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61396/22]

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. 

As part of the budgetary process, as a temporary measure for the 2022/2023 school year, some additional funding was made available to cater for pupils who are outside the normal eligibility of the School Transport Scheme.

Bus Éireann have been prioritising areas where there were “on time concessionary pupils” who had tickets in the previous school year.  It is important to stress that this is subject to capacity considerations.  Constraints in sourcing vehicles and drivers in certain areas of the country has meant that it is taking a number of weeks to explore solutions for additional capacity.

Bus Éireann have confirmed that all children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level have continued for the 2022/2023 school year.

Under these measures, transport is provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.

At the beginning of September 2022, approximately 122,000 mainstream tickets had issued.  Tickets have been allocated on an ongoing basis in the intervening period where capacity allows, and so as of 23 November over 129,000 mainstream tickets had been issued to eligible and concessionary pupils. 

A full breakdown of the tickets issued for the 2022/23 school year will not be available until Bus Eireann have had an opportunity to assess all the applications received.