William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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223. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to commit to ensuring that all buses in the school transport schemes for primary schools provide a bus escort to ensure the safety, supervision, and well-being of young children during their journey to and from school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16434/25]

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

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.

It is not a function of the School Transport Primary and Post Primary Schemes to provide School Bus Escorts on mainstream services transporting pupils to primary and post primary schools throughout the country.