Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided to a student (details supplied), considering their circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39531/23]

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.

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.

Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms 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 are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest post primary school/centre.

Bus Éireann have confirmed that the family, to whom the Deputy refers, are eligible for school transport however they made a late application on 11th August 2023. The service that could accommodate this family is operating to capacity with no seats available. The application closing date was Friday 28th April 2023 and the payment closing date was Friday 9th June 2023 for school transport applications for the 2023/2024 school year.