Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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329. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a school transport case (details supplied); if any seating has become free to accommodate this family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36730/24]

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.

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.

Bus Éireann have advised that the pupils to whom the Deputy refers, are not eligible for school transport as they do not meet the distance criteria of 3.2 kms. The family reside 2.0 kms from home to the school of attendance.

Bus Éireann further advise that these pupils were not successful in obtaining concessionary tickets for the 2024/2025 school year as the service is operating to capacity.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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330. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that at least 24 post primary students from the Ballymurn area in County Wexford have no direct bus provision to attend post primary schools in Wexford town; if the needs of the growing population in Ballymurn have been examined by her Department; if she plans to ensure that these students and many others to follow will be able to access a direct school bus service to Wexford town; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36733/24]

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.

The purpose of the 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.

Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres 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 and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme and subject to a number of conditions:

The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s post primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann will determine the allocation of the tickets using an agreed selection process.

Bus Éireann has advised that the pupils referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their nearest post primary school/centre.

Bus Éireann further advise that no applications were made by families for school transport from the area referred by the Deputy for the 2024/25 school year and that there is no services operating to the post primary centre referred from the area referred.