Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a school bus ticket application for a person (details supplied); the reasons this applicant is still on a waiting list for a concessionary ticket for a bus ticket from an area to a school; when this child can expect to be issued with a school bus ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41688/24]

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 Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport as they are attending their fifth closest post primary school/centre.

Bus Éireann further advise that the child referred was unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary school transport ticket for the 2024/25 school year since they applied on 28^th June 2024 which is considered a late application and seats assigned on the service were at capacity at that stage.

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.