Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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94. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will investigate the reason that students (details supplied) from Kilnaleck, County Cavan are paying private bus fees each week to get to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4940/23]

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 of Education.  In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €332.2m.

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services.

Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed should apply before the closing date to Bus Éireann on their website at www.buseireann.ie

The closing date for school transport applications for the 2022/23 School Year was Friday, 29th April 2022

Families could still apply for school transport following this date, but if applications were late, a place on a service could not be guaranteed as many local services may be already operating to capacity.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are now all accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. 

Temporary alleviation measures were continued for the current 2022/23 school year, pending completion of the School Transport Review. This means that transport will be 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 29^thApril 2022 and registered for a ticket by the 29^thJuly 2022.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Bus Éireann have advised that generally, pupils residing in the Kilnaleck area are not eligible for transport to the Post Primary Centre mentioned in the details supplied by the Deputy as, generally, it is their third closest Post Primary Centre. While the Deputy has provided clarity on the schools in question, it is not possible to give further detail on the eligibility of the families in question without their addresses.  If the families wish to make direct enquiries, they can do so by contacting the School Transport Section in my Department where officials will be happy to assist them.

Funding is not provided to private bus contractors operating outside of the Department’s School Transport Scheme. Bus Éireann plans and manages the countrywide network on behalf of the Department to ensure that services are provided in line with the specific requirements of the Department. Bus Éireann is responsible for contracting private operators in line with procurement legislation and as part of this process, ensures the utmost safety standards are complied with.