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 current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and there is capacity to do so.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Temporary Alleviation Measures are in place for the 2024/2025 school year, these measures mean that transport will be provided where such services are in operation and there is capacity to do so, for post-primary students who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and, who applied and paid for school transport within the deadline dates.

The school transport scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of children who apply. 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.

In the current school year, Bus éireann reported particular issues with availability of drivers and contractors. This included a number of contractors handing back contracts unexpectedly, and the receipt of zero bids for contracts tendered out 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. Bus éireann continues to prioritise sourcing drivers and contractors.

Bus éireann has frequent engagement with existing contractors. A national and local media advertising campaign seeking additional drivers and contractor operators for the Scheme will also take place which will be supported by additional targeted social media campaigns.

As well as commencing the planning process earlier for the 2024/2025 school year, the Department engage with Bus éireann on a daily basis in relation to operational matters. Monthly operational and quarterly strategic meetings are also held. The Department continue to engage closely with Bus éireann in relation to the current and future availability of drivers and contractors as reported as a wider issue nationally.

The School Transport Scheme 2030 report has now been published. It marks the largest review of the School Transport Scheme since it was established in 1967.

A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations will begin in September 2024. This will include a shared effort between my Department and the Department of Transport to pilot and introduce greater integration of transport networks with school transport routes.

The Department of Education also engage regularly with the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority in relation to transport.