Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will indicate the position arising from challenges experienced in the current year throughout North Kildare and nationally in the school transport sector; if she is in a position to ensure that no school buses pass children who could be accommodated if space on a bus is available, or if a larger bus might suffice, if children who have had their ticket withdrawn or been issued with inoperable tickets might have their cases reviewed in order to ensure safety and compassion for those cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12209/23]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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268. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether the current review of school transport might entail facilitating children in September 2023 who cannot gain access to their nearest school due to a shortage of school places but who would then not qualify for school transport as they would not be attending their nearest school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12210/23]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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269. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans in hand to address school transport for children attending school in Maynooth from Straffan-Rathcoffey who have been without a service this year, given the demand for such a service; if efforts will be made to facilitate a school bus given the local demand for such a service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12211/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 267, 268 and 269 together.

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.

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.

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

In addition, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the current 2022/23 school year, pending completion of the review and this means that transport has been 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.

As part of the budgetary process, some additional funding was approved for the scheme which allowed officials in consultation with Bus Éireann to consider and evaluate where temporary additional capacity may be available. However, it is important to stress that this was subject to capacity considerations. It has become increasingly difficult to source additional contractors due to the lack of availability of vehicles and contractors/drivers.

In cases where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance that children reside from their next nearest school having regard to ethos and language. To establish that the nearest school is full parents/guardians must provide certain documentary evidence including confirmation that an application for enrolment in the nearest school was made within the deadline dates specified by the school and confirmation from the school authorities that the school was full.

Phase 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.

Following consideration of this report, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time.

Phase two of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase three which is well underway.

While work on the review was impacted somewhat by the current conflict in Ukraine, and by the increased demand for the scheme in summer 2022 due to fees being waived, my officials are working to complete phase 3 of the review within the coming weeks with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme. Once approved by Government it is planned that the review will be published.

Planning for the operation of the school transport scheme for the 2023/24 is expected to be completed shortly. Bus Éireann will advertise the details of the 2023/2024 school year process through their website and social media platforms. Details will also be published on the Department’s website and, in line with normal practice, will also be communicated to Oireachtas Members.