Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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331. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will facilitate a school bus in order that students can continue their education through Irish (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25016/23]

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 5,200 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, language relates to the Irish or English language. In practice this means that:

- 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.

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.

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 may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Under the terms of the scheme, routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.

The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.

Bus Éireann have advised that pupils residing in the area referred to by the Deputy and attending the school referred to by the Deputy are attending their third nearest all Irish Post Primary School and therefore are not eligible for school transport.

There is currently no school transport service from the area in which the pupils reside to the school in question and the nearest pick up point to these pupils is approximately 9km from their home.