Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a case for school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52736/23]

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.

Over 134,000 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. There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.

Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport but the family did not pay/input their medical card details until after the closing date of 9June 2023 and did so on 18 August 2023. Bus Éireann has further advised that the existing school transport service is currently operating to capacity for the 2023/24 school year.

It is recognised that all pupils issued with tickets will not travel every morning and every evening. In addition, certain after school activities may also result in pupils not travelling on certain days.

Bus Éireann organises for vehicles to be full to capacity with tickets based on applications received and based on the seating capacity of the vehicle. For safety reasons, it is not possible to issue additional tickets over and above the seating capacity of the vehicle which could result in a potential overload situation arising and all pupils not being carried on the service.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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66. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the school transport for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52737/23]

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.

Over 134,000 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. There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.

An application for School Transport under the Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, for the child to whom the Deputy refers was received on 1st September 2023.

Bus Éireann manages the operation of the school transport scheme which includes the procurement tender process to include services provided by contractors under the scheme. This is a competitive procurement process conducted in accordance with the negotiated procedure under national and EU procurement legislation.

Bus Éireann has advised that a service for the child referred to by the Deputy has been sourced and is due to commence on Monday, 27^thNovember 2023. Bus Éireann further advise they have liaised with the family referred with regard to the details of the service.

The procurement of a transport service can take a number of weeks and in a small number of cases there have been challenges in procuring transport in certain areas. In these instances, a Special Transport Grant (STG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided to families of eligible children.

The School Transport Section of my Department has sent details to the family referred with regard a special transport grant to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements until the commencement of the service for the child referred.