Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) can apply for a refund for monies paid for transport for her child when approval was granted but services had not commenced. [9350/23]

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 €338.9m.

The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.

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 (SEN), 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.

Bus Éireann has advised that a school transport service commenced on the 31st of January 2022 for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. The family has received payment of the Special Transport Grant for the period August 2021 to the end of October 2021. The family can claim the Special Transport Grant for the period November 2021 to end of January 2022, by completing a statement of attendance for the child with the school Principal and submitting it to School_Transport@education.gov.ie. If the family wish to contact my Department in relation to the Special Transport Grant, they can contact School Transport Section at the email address above where officials from my Department will be happy to assist with any queries.