Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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355. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason children (details supplied) have to be driven 1 km to be picked up by the school bus on an unsafe road; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13542/25]

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 daily 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 in 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.

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 terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8kms 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 is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service.

Bus Éireann has advised that their Local Area Inspector has reviewed the existing pick-up point referred to by the Deputy and has deemed this pick-up point as safe and that the road is not considered to be any more dangerous than other approach roads to pick-up points in use throughout the country.

There is an onus of responsibility on parents/guardians to arrange to bring their children to and from the pick-up point of a school bus service, taking whatever safety precautions they consider sufficient in doing so, and accompanying the children to ensure their safety and allay any concern, if necessary.