John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position in relation to school transport services for students attending a particular school (details supplied) from outside its catchment area because that school is the only school capable of accommodating the excess student population in the area; if all such students will be provided with transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22252/23]

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.

The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

Under the terms of the Department’s School Transport Scheme, 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.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

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 at www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The closing date for new applications in respect of the 2023/2024 school year was 28th April 2023 and the closing date for payment for all applicants is 9th June 2023. Once the payment closing date has passed, Bus Éireann will review applications and plan routes during the summer months for the upcoming school year. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme and subject to the following conditions:

• an application is made by the deadline date
• there is an existing service in place
• there is spare capacity on the service;
• routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis;

• The detailed steps taken to enrol your child in the nearest and next nearest schools.
• Evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school(s) and
• A letter from the School Authorities confirming that the school was full at time of enrolment.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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182. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider an issue where over 20 schoolchildren are excluded from transport (details supplied). [22256/23]

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 for the 2022/2023 school year.

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 that the pupils referred to by the Deputy in this case are not eligible under the School Transport Scheme as they are not attending their closest school. Bus Éireann further advised that a new service cannot be established as there is currently an insufficient number of eligible applications from pupils residing in the distinct locality.

Families can apply for online at: buseireann.ie/schooltransport. The closing date for new applications in respect of the 2023/2024 school year was 28th April 2023 and the closing date for payment for all applicants is 9th June 2023. Once the payment closing date has passed, Bus Éireann will review applications and plan routes during the summer months for the upcoming school year.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason school transport was refused for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22262/23]

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 5,000 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 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

For school bus operating purposes a “distinct locality” is a cluster of eligible children who reside in the same general area, in the same general direction from the education centre attended, as determined by Bus Éireann taking cognisance of the local road network.

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.

Parents of a child wishing to avail of school transport services are required to apply on-line on Bus Éireann website at www.buseireann.ie

In respect of the 2023/24 school year, the closing date for new applications was Friday 28 April 2023. Any new applications made after the closing date are considered late applications and families are not guaranteed a seat on any available service.

The Bus Éireann family portal will accept payments/medical card details until 9th June 2023. Payments made after the deadline date will be deemed late and a seat may not be available to families at that stage. Parents of eligible pupils must ensure applications are received and paid for on time to be considered.

Bus Éireann have confirmed that they have received an application for school transport for the 2023/2024 school year for the pupil concerned in March 2023. Bus Éireann reviews all School Transport services for the 2023/24 School Year. This review of services will be carried out after the payment deadline of 9th June 2023.

Any new services can only be established under the terms of the scheme set out by The Department of Education.