Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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41. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a school bus ticket application for a child (details supplied); the reasons this applicant’s request for a pick-up point at the end of their road, which is safe for this child to be collected by the school bus, was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38216/24]

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.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of my Department. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

In relation to mainstream school transport, where practicable and subject to consideration of costs and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 2.4 km at primary level and 3.2 km at post primary level to a designated pick-up point.

The pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for transport and has been issued a ticket for the current school year. However, Bus Éireann have advised that it is not possible to extend the service to facilitate the new pick-up point request, as there is no safe turning point for a large bus.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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42. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a school bus ticket application for a child (details supplied); the reasons this applicant’s request for a pick-up point at the end of their road, which is safe for this child to be collected by the school bus, was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38217/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of my Department. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

In relation to mainstream school transport, where practicable and subject to consideration of costs and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 2.4 km at primary level and 3.2 km at post primary level to a designated pick-up point.

The pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for transport and has been issued a ticket for the current school year. However, Bus Éireann have confirmed that it is not possible to extend the service to facilitate the new pick-up point request, as there is no safe turning point for a large bus.