Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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785. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the provision of school transport for schools in Straffan and Rathcoffey will be investigated with a view to putting in place an amicable resolution to meet the needs of both the parents and children (details supplied); if consideration has been given to removing the administration of transport in that area from the school bus transport section in CIÉ as a means of resolving the problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13831/23]

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.

Bus Éireann on behalf of the department arrange the provision of transport for each applicant, the school transport fleet is made up of both contractors and Bus Éireann vehicles which amounts to over 6000 vehicles of which in the region of 94% are owned by private contractors under contract to Bus Éireann for the operation of school transport scheme services.

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 is 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 2022 and registered for a ticket by the 29th July 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.

It is understood that the pupils the area referred to by the Deputy are attending their third or fourth closest school and therefore are not eligible for transport under the terms of the School Transport Scheme.

In cases where families have applied to attend their nearest school in regards to ethos and language and have been advised by the school authorities that it is full, the Department will consider if the pupil is eligible to the next nearest school.

While the closest school(s) may be full to capacity at present, each family must supply the documents mentioned below, to School Transport Section of my Department.

- an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school, and

- a letter from the school authorities confirming that the school was full at time of enrolment