Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent)
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381. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 231 of 8 February 2023, if her Department will consider advising Bus Éireann’s school transport section to move a student collection point (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23255/23]

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 149,000 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. There has been an increase of 21% tickets issued to eligible students and 38% tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the current 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.

In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 5,200 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

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

The School Transport Scheme is an important service for families and children. 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.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are 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, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Bus Éireann have confirmed that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for mainstream transport and an application for transport was first received for the pupil on the 9th February 2023 for the 2022/23 school year. No ticket request was received for the pupil however for the 2022/23 school year and their application carried forward to the 2023/24 school year. Payment for transport for the pupil was received on the 11th May 2023 for the 2023/24 school year.

Bus Éireann review all school transport services over the summer months. 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.