Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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188. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if eligibility for school transport should be granted where a child wishes to attend a Catholic secondary school when their nearest school is non-denominational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22296/23]

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 Post Primary School Transport Scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary education centre/school. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the post-primary school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest education centre/school, subject to limited exceptions.

For the purposes of school transport provision, ethos relates to the religious ethos of minority religion schools, while language relates to the Irish or English language. In practice this means that:

• Children who, for reasons of their religious ethos, choose to attend their nearest minority religion denominational school may be eligible for school transport to that school, even if it is not their nearest school.
• Children who choose to attend their nearest all-Irish school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.
• Children who choose to attend their nearest all-English school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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189. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of school transport applications received for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal, per area in 2020, 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; if consideration was given to providing school transport to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22305/23]

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 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.

Please see below information for applications received for the stated school years below. It is not possible to provide the data requested by the Deputy for the 2023/2024 school year as the closing date for payment has not yet passed. Please note the below information includes all eligible and concessionary mainstream applications only.

2020/2021 School year - zero applications

2021/2022 School year - zero applications

2022/2023 School year - zero applications