Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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301. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance available to the parent of a child (details supplied) to access school transport or be financially assisted with the cost of fuel, so their child can continue to attend vital autism preschool; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27211/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, 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 and Youth.

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.

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Youth on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Early intervention classes for children with autism are pre-school classes situated in mainstream primary schools or in special schools. They were established by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in response to an identified need in a locality and following engagement between the NCSE, the school, families of pre-school children with autism and the Department of Education and Youth.

These schools can access further resources from the NCSE, including transport, if required.

The Preschool referred to is not situated in a primary or special school and therefore does not come under the remit of the Department of Education and Youth and is therefore not covered by the terms of the School Transport Scheme.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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302. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department can financially support the daily travel costs incurred by family of a child (details supplied) who has an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and attends an ASD pre-school far from their home, on the recommendation of a special educational needs organiser; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27212/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, 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 and Youth.

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.

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Youth on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Early intervention classes for children with autism are pre-school classes situated in mainstream primary schools or in special schools. They were established by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in response to an identified need in a locality and following engagement between the NCSE, the school, families of pre-school children with autism and the Department of Education and Youth.

These schools can access further resources from the NCSE, including transport, if required.

The preschool attended by the child referred to is not situated in a primary or special school and therefore does not come under the remit of the Department of Education and Youth and is therefore not covered by the terms of the School Transport Scheme.