Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding the urgent need for a pay review for school bus escorts (details supplied); if her Department will engage with bus escorts regarding this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14146/23]

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 4,000 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

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

The Deputy may be aware that "Building Momentum – a new public service agreement, 2021-2022" was agreed between Government and Unions in 2021 and has recently been extended to the end of 2023. The agreement provides for pay increase to public servants covered by the Unions who have signed up to the agreement, subject to compliance with sectoral action plans and industrial peace provisions of the agreement. The increase does not apply beyond public servants and therefore grant funded school staff such as secretaries, caretakers, bus escorts and cleaner employed directly by schools are not comprehended by the agreement.

Bus Escorts do not fall under the recent pay deal mentioned above, however, the Department of Education will continue to keep the rates of pay of bus escorts under review.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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169. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport tickets will be facilitated in the case of the two sons of a person (details supplied); if their case will be considered as a matter of urgency; if contact will be made with the family by Bus Éireann given they have been attempting to make contact to bring this matter to a resolution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14158/23]

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 has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for transport as they are attending their third nearest Post Primary Centre. These pupils were unsuccessful in obtaining concessionary seats for the 2022/23 school year on the route to the school mentioned by the Deputy as the route is currently operating to capacity and there are no seats available.

Bus Éireann has also advised that tickets have issued to the family for another route in the area to facilitate these pupils.