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 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

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

In addition, school transport scheme services have been provided for over 5,400 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 primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and 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.

In addition, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2023/2024 school year pending completion of the review of the School Transport Scheme. This means that transport arrangements are provided for a number of post-primary students who are attending their second nearest school, who have applied and registered on time and who live more than 4.8km from their nearest school.

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

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places. In these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random 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.

At Primary level, eligibility for school transport is to the nearest school, having regard to ethos and language.

At Post Primary level, eligibility for school transport 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.

New School transport service may only be established where a minimum of ten eligible pupils exist in a distinct geographical area. This is also subject to applications and payments having been received within the relevant timelines.

Ticket registration for School Transport in respect of the 2023/24 school year closed on 28th April 2023 and the deadline for all on-line payments/submissions of medical card details was Friday 9th June 2023.

Following on from the payment deadline of 9th June 2023, Bus Éireann are now carrying out the review of all eligible applications for School Transport services for the 2023/24 School Year.

Any new service can only be established under the terms of the scheme as set out by my Department.