Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on the demand from school transport escorts for fair pay and conditions, to reflect the importance of their work for young people with disabilities and their families. [10877/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 current school year over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes over 143,800 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 21,700 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.

The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.

There is a facility within the Special Educational Needs Transport Scheme for the appointment of a School Transport Escort where a child’s care and safety needs while on school transport are such as to require the support of a School Transport Escort.

The Department of Education provides grant funding for the employment of the School Transport Escort and sets the rate of pay. The Board of Management/ETB are responsible for the employment of the School Transport Escort.

It is recognised that School Bus Escorts play a vital role in supporting children with Special Educational Needs in their journey to and from school.

A review of the School Transport Scheme has been completed. This review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness, and sustainability and to ensure it services students and their families adequately. As a recommended action arising from the review, the Department committed to continuing the comprehensive analysis of matters as they relate to the escort's pay, and the information provided to schools as the employer of the escort.

The work underway by School Transport Section regarding the employment of School Bus Escorts has been completed and an information pack has issued to schools.

The commitment to review pay rates for Bus Escorts has also been completed in full for 2024. A circular issued to schools on 04 November 2024 to advise that the increased rate of pay for escorts has been set at €15.20 per hour from 01 October 2024. A further information note issued to schools advising that the revised hourly rate effective from 1st March 2025 is €15.50 per hour.