Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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140. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action she will take to enable bus drivers over 70 years-of-age to continue working as school bus drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45693/24]

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 were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. This includes 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.

The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.

Over 141,000 mainstream tickets have issued for the 2024/2025 school year, which is already 4% more than the total tickets issued for the full 2023/2024 school year.

The retirement age for school bus drivers has been set by Bus Éireann at 70 years of age, which also applies to all Bus Éireann road passenger services. The policy and criteria also apply to drivers nominated by private operators who operate services as part of the School Transport Scheme, who may continue to perform in the role provided they hold the requisite license and satisfy an annual medical examination until they retire at age 70.

The age limit on bus drivers was increased to 70 years a number of years ago. Bus Éireann has informed the Department there is no plan to increase the age limit further at this time. The Road Safety Authority under the remit of the Department of Transport committed to reviewing the upper age limit of drivers as it relates to larger vehicles/school buses.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene to ensure that a student (details supplied) receives a ticket for the local school transport bus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45694/24]

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 current terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 km 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.

Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to is eligible for transport, but a late application and payment was received. However, Bus Éireann further advises that this pupil has now been scheduled on a service and that this family will receive the ticket in the coming days.