Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the ongoing school transport review will facilitate children in September 2023 who cannot gain access to their nearest school due to a shortage of school places and would then not qualify for school transport as they would not be attending their nearest school or second nearest school; if she will give specific consideration to an area (details supplied) in County Cork which experiences this issue each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13570/23]

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. In addition,

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Bus Éireann has advised in relation to the matter referred to by the Deputy, Pupils residing in the area outlined by the Deputy and are attending the post primary school outlined by the Deputy are not eligible for transport as they are not attending their nearest school.  In some cases, children are attending their third and fourth closest post primary school.

If 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 students are eligible for transport to the next nearest school.

The following information can be provided to school_transport@education.gov.ie.

- confirmation from the nearest school(s) that 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

There is currently no mainstream school transport service operating from the area in question to the post primary centre outlined by the Deputy, the nearest pick up point is approximately 3.3 km from this area to an existing school transport service operating to the post primary centre.