Written answers

Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport

Photo of Michael Healy-RaeMichael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a school bus place for a pupil (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23394/23]

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.

Children are eligible for transport 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 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 on services, after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

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

The closing date for new applications for the 2023/2024 school year was Friday 28thApril. The closing date for payment/entering medical details for tickets for the 2023/2024 school year in Friday 9thJune. It is only after this time that Bus Éireann will know how many applications have been received and paid for. At that point, services will be planned for the upcoming school year.

Bus Éireann has confirmed that pupils residing in the area to which the Deputy refers are not eligible for transport to their school of attendance under the terms of the School Transport Scheme.

Bus Éireann has also advised that the service to which the Deputy refers, is a private school transport service and as such does not fall under the remit of the Department of Education School Transport Scheme.

In relation to any service that has been set up to cater for Ukrainian pupils attending the school in question, requests for non Ukrainian pupils to avail of this type of service are considered where it is deemed that future capacity will not be required by Ukrainian pupils. It is important to note that these type of services are kept under review and should the level of service required for Ukrainian pupils diminish, this service would cease.

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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70. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being implemented to deal with the shortage of qualified drivers for vehicles such as school buses; if she is aware of the difficulties that have arisen for Bus Éireann and private bus and coach operators with such shortages impacting on different areas, such as the operation of the school transport system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23624/23]

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

The 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 complete 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 complete 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.

While the Department is aware of some challenges with capacity in certain areas of the country, Bus Éireann is continuing to work to implement services to cater for children who require school transport.  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 to concessionary tickets 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.

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