Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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493. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the significant increase in new autism spectrum disorder classes anticipated in September 2025, whether her Department will consider collaborating with the Department of Transport to support the implementation of a fast-track application process for the local area hackney driver licence and ensure that up-to-date information on school transport demand is readily available to facilitate timely and adequate provision of services for children with additional needs. [25894/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The school transport scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of children who apply. The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and directly recruited drivers, and private contractors who recruit their own drivers to operate on the scheme.

Under the terms of the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school/special class/special school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to the Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.

As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. There are currently in the region of 8,000 vehicles operating on the scheme.

The competitive procurement process is conducted in accordance with the negotiated procedure under national and EU procurement legislation.

Bus Éireann has frequent engagement with existing contractors. A national and local media advertising campaign seeking additional contractor operators for the Scheme is currently in place supported by additional targeted social media campaigns.

As part of a national focus on driver and contractor requirements, the Department has facilitated a working group between the Department of Education, Department of Transport, Bus Éireann and Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) to increase the availability of drivers within both the school transport scheme and other public transport areas nationally, through existing and potential training schemes.

As a result of work undertaken by the working group, a transport taskforce has now been established which is chaired by the Department of Transport. The aim of the taskforce is to work collaboratively to identify contributing factors to the recruitment issues and put forward recommendations and measures to address these issues, including licencing matters mentioned by the Deputy.