Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) who has applied for a taxi service transport for school will receive this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62912/22]

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 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. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.

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.

In general, the Scheme provides that, in order to be eligible for school transport, children must be attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs.

The child referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport under the terms of the above scheme because they are not attending the nearest recognised special class/school, that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.

However, transport on a concessionary basis was sought by the family and Bus Éireann was requested to examine if this could be facilitated under the terms of the scheme. Bus Éireann has advised concessionary transport is available for this child, however, the family advised Bus Éireann that they wish to avail of the concessionary transport from January 2023 onwards.