Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans that are in place to replace a bus service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24307/23]

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.

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 28^thApril. The closing date for payment/entering medical details for tickets for the 2023/2024 school year in Friday 9^thJune. It is only after this time that Bus Éireann can determine the eligibility of applicants, at that point, services will be planned for the upcoming school year.

Bus Éireann manages the operation of the school transport scheme which includes the procurement tender process to include services provided by contractors under the scheme. This is a competitive procurement process conducted in accordance with the negotiated procedure under national and EU procurement legislation. Details relating to how to apply to provide services can be found on www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and privately owned contractor vehicles under contract to Bus Éireann.

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 pupils residing in accommodation centres, requests for mainstream pupils to avail of this type of service are considered where there is capacity. It is important to note that these services are kept under review and should the level of service required for Ukrainian pupils diminish, this service would cease.