Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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695.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of transporting children to and from schools by way of taxi, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35788/24]

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 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.

The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and private contractor owned vehicles. In addition, a number of vehicle types are used, comprising of buses (large, medium and mini) and taxis. 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. In the 2023/2024 school year in the region of 7,200 contractor owned vehicles operated on the scheme. This included some 2,300 taxis which are used on the scheme in the main to provide transport for children with special educational needs.

In planning a school placement for a child with special educational needs, a number of factors are considered, including the suitability of a proposed placement and the geographical distance from a child’s home. Every effort is made to minimise distance and time in getting to and from school. However, in many cases children attend school placements outside of their own locality and school transport is required in order for these children to attend school. The analysis conducted during the recently completed review of the scheme highlighted how highly valued the scheme is for parents of children with special educational needs and that without the transport that is provided many parents would experience difficulty in getting their child to school.

Bus Éireann has confirmed, as per the details in the following link, the spend, by county, for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 for taxis operating on the School Transport Scheme.

">Cost of Taxis

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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696.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of refunds sought from parents availing of the school transport scheme, by county, in 2023 and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter.[35789/24]

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 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 current 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, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms 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, 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 information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. However, officials from the School Transport Section of my Department will forward the information directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.