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. As part of the management of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. There are currently in the region of 7,000 vehicles operating on the scheme.

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.

The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and directly recruited drivers, and private contractors who recruit their own drivers to operate on the scheme.As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. There are currently in the region of 7,000 vehicles operating on the scheme.

The competitive procurement process is conducted in accordance with the negotiated procedure under national and EU procurement legislation.

Bus Éireann has advised that the service referred to by the Deputy is currently in the procurement process. Bus Éireann’s local office are in the process of sourcing a suitable contractor/driver. Once a suitable contractor/driver is sourced transport will commence, families have been informed in this regard.

Bus Éireann has reported challenges in sourcing drivers and contractors in certain areas. This is against a backdrop of significant shortages of drivers in the labour market overall and competing demands for drivers to deliver additional public transport initiatives such as Connecting Ireland and Bus Connects/Local Link services.

Officials in the Department engage with Bus Éireann on a daily basis in relation to operational matters. Bus Éireann is continuing to prioritise sourcing vehicles and drivers, through a mix of targeted campaigns seeking taxi/bus operators through NTA bulletins and mailing lists of registered licenced operators, continued engagement with existing contractors, and a national and local media advertising campaign seeking additional drivers and contractor operators for the Scheme has also taken place and is supported by additional targeted social media campaigns. Further information can be found at buseireann.ie/schooltransport.

Bus Éireann has put in place a dedicated customer care call centre to assist families specifically with School Transport queries. Families that have queries can contact the call centre on: LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are usually 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday.

Families can also submit queries via the ‘contact form’ which can be found on our website (buseireann.ie/schooltransport)

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 2022/23 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 are being provided in the current school year for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

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

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 current terms of the scheme, pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible. Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.

Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level are being continued for the current school year. Under these measures, which were initially introduced in 2019, transport is provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

As you are aware, my Department undertook to complete a review of the School Transport Scheme. The review has been conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.

The Technical Working Group and the Steering Group have recently completed their work on the final report of the review. This final report includes recommendations on the future operation of the scheme. The report has recently being submitted by the Steering Group for my consideration.

I am aware that this review is much-awaited, it is recognised that there are improvements which need to be made to the scheme and I know the importance of doing so. I expect to be in a position shortly to bring the review to government, and further to government approval, the review will be published.