Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school bus ticket applications were issued for the academic year 2023-2024 compared to the previous 2022-2023 academic year in counties Kilkenny and Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44686/23]

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 133,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the start of the 2022/2023 school year. The number of tickets issued so far has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.

Bus Éireann has provided the following details in relation to the Deputy's request for the number of school bus ticket applications that were issued for the academic year 2023-2024 compared to the previous 2022-2023 academic year in counties Kilkenny and Carlow;