Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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712.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of a school bus in County Kildare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32114/24]

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 2023/24 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 were 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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Parents of children wishing to avail of school transport services are required to apply on-line to Bus éireann’s website at buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The closing date for new applications for the school year 2024/25 was 26 April 2024 and the closing date for payment was 07 June 2024.

Families may still apply for school transport following this date, but if the application or payment is late they may not secure a seat on a service and will not be considered for a remote area grant.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.

Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places. In these cases Bus éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post primary level are continued for the current school year. Under these measures, transport will be 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, are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

Bus éireann are currently assessing all applications and planning for routes and services for the 2024/25 school year following the closing date for payments. Once routes have been finalised, Bus éireann will assign tickets for each vehicle. Tickets will begin to issue in mid-July and will continue to issue throughout July and August. Families who are unsuccessful in obtaining a seat will be notified via email and a refund will issue.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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713.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school bus ticket for a child in County Kildare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32115/24]

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 2023/24 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 were 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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Parents of children wishing to avail of school transport services are required to apply on-line to Bus éireann’s website at buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The closing date for new applications for the school year 2024/25 was 26 April 2024 and the closing date for payment was 07 June 2024.

Families may still apply for school transport following this date, but if the application or payment is late they may not secure a seat on a service and will not be considered for a remote area grant.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.

Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places. In these cases Bus éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post primary level are continued for the current school year. Under these measures, transport will be 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, are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

In cases where families have applied to attend their nearest schools with regard to ethos and language, and have been advised by the school authorities that these schools are full, the Department will consider if the pupil(s) is eligible to the next nearest school.

While the closest school(s) may be full to capacity at present, each family must supply the documents mentioned below;

• an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school(s), and
• a letter from each of the school authorities confirming that the school was full.

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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714.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider a request for school bus tickets from two parents whose children (details supplied) previously had school transport tickets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32116/24]

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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus éireann, and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.

Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post primary level are continued for the current school year. Under these measures, transport will be 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, are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

Parents of children wishing to avail of school transport services, are required to apply on-line to Bus éireann’s website at buseireann.ie/schooltransport

The closing date for new applications for the school year 2024/25 was 26 April 2024 and the closing date for payment was 07 June 2024.

Families may still apply for school transport following this date, but if the application or payment is late they may not secure a seat on a service and will not be considered for a remote area grant.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Bus éireann are currently assessing all applications and planning for routes and services for the 2024/25 school year following the closing date for payments. Once routes have been finalised, Bus éireann will assign tickets for each vehicle. Tickets will begin to issue in mid-July, and will continue to issue throughout July and August. Families who are unsuccessful in obtaining a seat will be notified via email and a refund will issue.

Bus Eireann has advised that the families referred to by the Deputy are concessionary and were unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary ticket for the 2024/25 school year. A refund will be issued in due course.

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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715.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when Bus éireann school transport will issue a response to a communication (details supplied) relating to a student attending an all-Irish school in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32134/24]

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 2023/24 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 were 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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The Remote Area Grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

Bus éireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport, however there is no service available from where the pupil resides to the school they are attending. The pupil is eligible for the grant to the pick up point as they reside outside guidelines.

The parent has requested that the pick up point be moved closer to their home instead of receiving the Remote Area Grant payment.

This request is currently under consideration by Bus éireann and family will be contacted directly by Bus éireann with an update as soon as possible.