Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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777. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is expanding capacity on the school transport network for the 2023-24 school year. [13703/23]

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.

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 will be accommodated on school transport services in the 2023/24 school year where such services are in operation.

In addition, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the current 2022/23 school year, and will continue for the 2023/24 school year pending completion of the review. This means that transport will be provided where services are in operation for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who apply and pay on time for the 2023/24 school year.

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.

The school transport scheme is demand led and the closing dates for application and payment for the 2023/24 school year have not yet passed. Bus Éireann plan school transport routes and services and manage the procurement process of contractors who operate routes under the school transport scheme so that the capacity on vehicles meet the demand for services.

The Bus Éireann portal is now open for new applications. The closing date for new applications is 28th April 2023 and full details on eligibility can be found by clicking: gov.ie/schooltransport

The Bus Éireann portal will open for payment/entering medical card details for School Transport tickets for the 2023/24 school year between the 3rd April and the 9th June 2023.

Applications or payments made after the closing date will be deemed late and families may not be guaranteed a seat at that stage.

Payment or registering medical card details for all pupils who wish to be considered for the allocation of a ticket for the 2023/24 school year must be made by the 9th June 2023.

Families are strongly urged to make sure that they pay/enter medical card details on time.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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778. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students attending their nearest or second-nearest secondary school will be eligible for school transport in the 2023-24 academic year; if not, the reason the rules have changed compared with the past number of years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13730/23]

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.

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, and will continue for the 2023/2024 school year, pending the completion of the 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, once an application is made before the closing date of 28th April 2023, and once payment/medical card details are entered before the 9th June 2023.

In effect, these students remain to be considered as concessionary but where transport is in operation it will be provided for students who meet the criteria and apply and pay on time.

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.

The Bus Éireann portal is now open for new applications. The closing date for new applications is 28th April 2023 and full details on eligibility can be found by clicking: gov.ie/schooltransport

The Bus Éireann portal will open for payment/entering medical card details for School Transport tickets for the 2023/24 school year between the 3rd April and the 9th June 2023.

Applications or payments made after the closing date will be deemed late and families may not be guaranteed a seat at that stage.

Payment or registering medical card details for all pupils who wish to be considered for the allocation of a ticket for the 2023/24 school year must be made by the 9th June 2023.

Families are strongly urged to make sure that they pay/enter medical card details on time.