Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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187. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the failure to provide a school bus service (details supplied); the actions she will take to work with Bus Éireann to resolve this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42120/24]

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 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.

Bus Éireann has reported that unfortunately, for a small number of families who were issued a ticket for the 2024/2025 school year, difficulties have arisen in some localities where services could not commence as expected.

Bus Éireann issued tickets for school transport based on the number of bus services that had been secured in the Wicklow area. Unfortunately, difficulties have arisen involving a small number of contracted services . These services were secured for the 2024/2025 school year but could not commence as expected. These difficulties have arisen in some cases due to lack of driver or contractor availability, or where zero bids were received for a service, despite repeated efforts to procure one.

It has been reported that driver shortages are being experienced in many sectors of the economy and throughout the country. While the situation is dynamic with solutions being found, currently this represents less than 0.5% of vehicles operating mainstream school transport services. Bus Éireann has contacted the affected families directly and will maintain communications with them.

Bus Éireann is working intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible. They have advised that services have been secured for two mainstream routes in Wicklow, and they are currently awaiting final compliance checks from contractors.

An “Exceptional No Service Interim Grant” payable by the Department, which is based on the number of days children attend school will be made available to the families. Bus Éireann have contacted these families directly. Families do not need to make an application for the exceptional payment. Those who have been issued a ticket and do not have a service in place will be contacted by School Transport Section in the Department.

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