Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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274. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 183 of 24 September 2024, the reason why a person (details supplied) has still not been provided with school transport five weeks into the school year; when the family will be contacted with an update by the relevant departments; when transport will be provided in order for the person to attend school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40946/24]

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 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 has reported that unfortunately, for a small number of families assigned to Special Educational Needs transport services, difficulties have arisen in some localities with a small number of contracted services.

The pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible under the terms of the scheme and Bus Éireann have tendered this service in line with procurement guidelines and are in the process of prioritising to source a contractor to operate this service. Once a contractor has been sourced, the service will commence. Bus Éireann will liaise with families directly with regard to this matter at that stage.

Bus Éireann School Transport team is working intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible. A Special Transport Interim Grant has been offered to families of children with special educational needs who, following the application process, are eligible under the terms of the school transport scheme and were awaiting a School Transport service to be put in place.

The interim grant is offered from the date of application to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until a transport service is ready to commence. Further information on the Special Transport Interim Grant can be found at: gov.ie/schooltransport.

Work is continuing in order to resolve this matter and Bus Éireann are committed to providing transport as quickly as is possible.

Bus Éireann has put in place a dedicated customer care call centre to assist families specifically with School Transport queries during the busy summer period. Families that have queries can contact the call centre on: LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are usually 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.

Families can also contact Bus Éireann by submitting a query via the following link

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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275. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a school bus ticket application for a person (details supplied); the reasons that this applicant, who had a concessionary ticket last year, is still on a waiting list for a concessionary ticket for this school year on a route number; when this child can expect to be issued with a school bus ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40948/24]

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.

Bus Eireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for transport as they are attending their fifth nearest Post Primary Centre. While an application and payment was received on time for this pupil for the 2024/25 school year they were unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary seat for the 2024/25 school year and that the service is currently operating to capacity.

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, but who completed the application process on time, will be 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.