Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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247. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a remote area grant for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41098/23]

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.

Bus Éireann has advised that this pupil is not eligible for transport as she is attending her 2^ndnearest Primary school. However, there is a service available from where this pupil resides to her school of attendance and there is a seat available on that service.

Bus Éireann has also confirmed that the family has been contacted by Bus Éireann with a request for payment, to allow the tickets to issue.