Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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282.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to an ongoing case (details supplied); the actions she will take to ensure that this child is accommodated on a school bus in the coming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24838/24]

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.

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Based on additional information supplied by Bus Éireann, I am pleased to advise that sanction has been given to accommodate the pupil referred on a dedicated school transport service to the child’s school of attendance.

A Special Transport Grant is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place. This grant is offered to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. The family of the child in question will be contacted directly in the coming days by School Transport Section of my Department, with an offer of the Special Transport Grant until the transport service commences.