Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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629. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail the number of secondary school bus concessionary ticket applications for the academic year 2023/2024 in County Wexford; the number of secondary school bus concessionary ticket applications in County Wexford for the 2022/2023 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37945/23]

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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630. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail the number of eligible secondary school bus ticket applications for the academic year 2023/2024 in County Wexford; the number of eligible secondary school bus ticket applications for the academic year 2022/2023 in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37946/23]

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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631. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail the total number of secondary school bus places available to students in County Wexford for the 2023/24 academic year; the number of secondary school bus places available to students in County Wexford for the 2022/2023 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37947/23]

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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634. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail the locations of fully concessionary secondary school bus routes in County Wexford; the capacity on each of these concessionary services; the total number of applications for these services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37950/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 629 to 631, inclusive, and 634 together.

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 was 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 were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

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

Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.

In relation to the Deputy's request for detail the locations of fully concessionary secondary school bus routes in County Wexford; the capacity on each of these concessionary services and the total number of applications for these services, Bus Éireann has advised as follows:

There are currently 3 routes operating to Wexford Town Post Primary Centre which currently only cater for TAM (Temporary Alleviation Measure) and Mainstream concessionary pupils. The total capacity of the three routes is 126. There are 125 pupils issued with tickets on these routes, of the 125 pupils, 122 are TAM pupils and 3 are mainstream concessionary pupils.

There is currently 1 route operating to Gorey Town Post Primary Centre which currently only caters for TAM (Temporary Alleviation Measure) and Mainstream concessionary pupils. The route is a 16 seat vehicle with 13 TAM pupils and 1 Mainstream Concessionary pupil issued with tickets on board.

Please note some routes may operate additional trips to other schools and cater for mainstream eligible pupils.

In relation to the Deputy's request for the following data, please see the attached table:

• the number of secondary school bus concessionary ticket applications for the academic year 2023/2024 in County Wexford; the number of secondary school bus concessionary ticket applications in County Wexford for the 2022/2023 academic year;
• the number of eligible secondary school bus ticket applications for the academic year 2023/2024 in County Wexford; the number of eligible secondary school bus ticket applications for the academic year 2022/2023 in County Wexford;
• the total number of secondary school bus places available to students in County Wexford for the 2023/24 academic year; the number of secondary school bus places available to students in County Wexford for the 2022/2023 academic year;

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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632. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to clarify the allocation process for concessionary secondary school bus tickets; if a concessionary ticket holder in previous academic years is given priority over new concessionary ticket applications on the same route; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37948/23]

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 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 was 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 were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

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

Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, under the terms of the scheme, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions, including, if there is a suitable service, as determined by Bus Éireann, operating into their school of attendance, if there is spare capacity on the service, 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.

Where capacity remains once all eligible applicants are catered for, the selection process for allocating tickets to concessionary applicants is as follows:

• Using the Family ID as a reference, first priority is given to all existing concessionary applicants (whether they had seats or not in the last school year) who have paid by the deadline date for payments plus siblings of these pupils provided they also have paid by the deadline date. Second priority is all new applicants who applied and paid by the deadline dates (i.e. those applying for transport for the first time). Finally, all other applicants (for example late applicants/payees).

Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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633. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to clarify the allocation process of bus tickets for concessionary secondary school bus routes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37949/23]

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 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 was 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 were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

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

Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, under the terms of the scheme, may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of conditions, including, if there is a suitable service, as determined by Bus Éireann, operating into their school of attendance, if there is spare capacity on the service, 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.