Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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688.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to address the shortfall in school transport places in Galway city and county; the specific steps being taken to ensure that pupils who are eligible for school transport will be provided with same; the total number of students without school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35765/24]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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689.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to address the shortfall in school transport places for children with special educational needs in Galway city and county; the specific steps being taken to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and who are eligible for school transport will be provided with same; the number of students with special educational needs without school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35766/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 688 and 689 together.

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 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 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.

Over 140,000 mainstream tickets have issued for the 2024/2025 school year, which is already 3% more than the total tickets issued for the full 2023/2024 school year.

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, who apply and pay on time, are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. 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 3.2kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post-primary level, which have been in place since 2019, are being continued for the 2024/25 school year. Under these measures, transport is 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 and are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated.

Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.

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.

Bus Éireann is still in the process of issuing tickets for all schemes for the 2024/25 school year so it is not currently possible to provide the data as requested by the Deputy.