Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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507.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene in the urgent case of an autistic teenager seeking to access transport to their place of education (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.[33921/24]

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 traveling 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 the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability. Children are generally eligible for transport where they have a diagnosed disability and are attending their nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined in consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.

Transport is not provided under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme to the facilities referred to by the Deputy.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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508.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person with autism (details supplied), who resides in County Offaly, can continue to use the same bus to attend his third-level education in Mullingar, where he previously attended post-primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[33943/24]

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 traveling 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 the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability. Children are generally eligible for transport where they have a diagnosed disability and are attending their nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined in consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.

Transport is not provided under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme to the facilities referred to by the Deputy.