Written answers

Tuesday, 16 May 2023

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Sorca ClarkeSorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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353. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she will take and the measures she is examining to reduce carbon emissions associated with the school transport scheme. [23152/23]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma 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.

A review of the School Transport Scheme is underway The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.

This review will build upon the commitments within the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme. The review will also consider how the scheme can support wider Government policy including climate action targets.

It is planned that the review will be completed shortly at which point decisions on the future operation of my Department’s School Transport Scheme will be taken. Once approved by Government it is planned that the review will be published.

Photo of Sorca ClarkeSorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

354. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the school transport scheme review will be published. [23153/23]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

A review of the School Transport Scheme is underway. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.

Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents/guardians and students who use the service and those who do not use the service but who would like to. A broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Government Departments were all consulted as part of this review.

Phase 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.

Following consideration of this Phase 1 report, for the 2021/2022 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time. These measures have been continued for the current 2022/2023 school year, and will again continue in the 2023/2024 school year pending completion of the review.

Phase 2 of the review was completed late last year and phase 3 will be completed shortly. This final report will include recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme. Once approved by Government, it is planned that the review will be published.

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