Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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771. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that adequate measures are being taken to ensure that children of both levels are accommodated as previously towards giving them access to the schools of their choice which happen to be feeder schools (details supplied); if extra transport is being provided to ensure such facilities remain readily available given that parents, both of whom are likely to be in full-time employment, do not have access to a means whereby they can deliver their children to school, and conscious of the need to ensure high standards of health and safety for young children who may have to travel long distances to school; if the full review of the school transport system now in motion will be concluded before the next school year and the provision for school transport in general can be made, not in the first or second week of the school year but well in advance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13647/23]

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.

While it is the prerogative of parents to enrol their children in the school of their choice, the eligibility criteria of the school transport scheme sets out that;

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.

Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed should apply on-line in a timely manner to Bus Éireann on Bus Éireann’s website atwww.buseireann.ie

The Bus Éireann family portal is now open for new applications only for school transport services for the 2023/24 school year. New applications are considered as:

- Pupils who will be attending junior infants in primary school or first year in post-primary school for the first time in 2023.

- Pupils that may move home address or will be attending a new school for the 2023/24 school year

Applications can be made by visitingwww.buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The closing date for new applications is Friday 28 April 2023. Any new applications made after the closing date are considered late applications and families are not guaranteed a seat.

The Bus Éireann family portal will be open to accept payments/medical card details from the 3 April 2023 until 9 June 2023. Payment made after the deadline date will be deemed late and a seat may not be available to families at that stage.

Payments/medical card details must be submitted for:

- new applicants, and;

- Pupils who have previously applied/availed of school transport and require a seat on a service for the 23/24 school year.

Children (who are eligible for school transport) and who possess valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge however, their medical card details must be submitted to Bus Éireann.

Families are asked to note that the closing date for payment/registering medical cards has been brought forward so that Bus Éireann can process applications, arrange transport and issue tickets to families as soon as possible for the 2023/24 school year.

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

Phase 1 of the review, an examination of issues a report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school was completed in June 2021.

Following commencement of the review the Steering Group presented me with an initial interim report in June 2021, with regard to eligibility and with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, for the 2021/2022 school year, the extension of temporary alleviation measures were approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time. These measures will be continued for the current school year, pending completion of the review and means 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 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.

While work on the review was impacted somewhat by the challenges of the pandemic and the impact of the current conflict in Ukraine, it is anticipated that the final phases of the review will be completed shortly with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.