Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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630. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the terms of reference in respect of the review of the school transport scheme that commenced in February 2021; the eligibility criteria for the scheme as communicated by her to Bus Éireann; and if she has engaged with the NTA in respect of providing additional frequency and capacity on services in known problem areas where pupils cannot access her scheme to travel to school. [12586/23]

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 4,500 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.

The purpose of the Primary and Post-Primary 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. Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for children with Special Educational Needs 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. Children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability in accordance with the designation of high and low incidence disability set out in Department of Education and Skill’s (DES) Circular 02/05 and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

A review of the School Transport Scheme commenced in February 2021.

A Technical Working Group was established to review the School Transport Scheme as it currently operates and to make recommendations to a Steering Group. The Steering Group report on the findings and recommendations of the Working Group and will prepare a report with recommendations for consideration of the Minister on the future operation of the School Transport Scheme.

The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately. The review includes an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school, a detailed analysis of the objectives of the School Transport Scheme, for both the mainstream and SEN schemes and an examination of issues around eligibility criteria, scheme performance, scheme expenditure and the potential for scheme integration.

Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents/guardians and students who use the service and those who do not use the service but who would like to. A broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Government Departments were all consulted as part of this review.

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, for the 2021/2022 school year, 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. These measures have been continued for the current 2022/2023 school year, and will again continue in the 2023/2024 school year pending completion of the review. These measures mean 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 for school transport by the 28th April 2023 and pay for a ticket/enter medical card details by the 9^thJune 2023. These measures will again continue in the 2023/2024 school year

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.

Officials from my Department engage with the NTA and the Department of Transport on a regular basis in relation to the potential provision of transport solutions in locations where it may be challenging for Bus Éireann to source drivers or contractors.