Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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While over 90% of services are contracted locally, Bus Éireann apply stringent assessments of each individual driver on over 7,000 school routes. This includes vetting and background checks.

It is Bus Éireann company policy that normal retirement age for all Bus Éireann staff is currently 66 years. However, Bus Éireann part-time school bus drivers and drivers nominated by private operators who operate service as part of the School Transport Scheme may continue to perform in the role provided they hold the requisite license and satisfy an annual medical examination until they retire at age 70. This policy and criteria is applied to all drivers who provide school transport services on behalf of Bus Éireann equally.

The age limit on school bus drivers was increased to 70 years a number of years ago. While Bus Éireann have informed the Department there is no plan to increase the age limit further at this time, the matter will continue to be kept under review.

Bus Éireann and Department officials meet regularly to discuss operational and policy matters.

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.

Bus Éireann is very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for pupils with special educational needs under the School Transport Scheme.All services are planned to meet the individual requirements of children travelling, with the majority of services operating on a door-to- door basis.

Bus Éireann endeavours to provide a high quality service to all children travelling with us under the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs. I wish to assure you that the School Transport team is continuing to prioritise arrangements to ensure transport can be sourced and put in place as soon as possible.

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 referred to by the Deputy is currently in the procurement process. Bus Éireann continues to keep families updated on a regular basis.

In situations where a transport service is not in place, a Special Transport Grant (STG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided to families of eligible children.

Officials in School Transport Section in the Department of Education have contacted families of eligible children with details of the special transport grant to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements until the commencement of a service.