Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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393. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school bus travelling to secondary schools (details supplied) will include new stops, given concerns regarding the safety of the current bus stops; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31973/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Eireann has advised that the children from the area referred to by the Deputy attending the school referred are not eligible for school transport to the school post primary school/centre eferred as they are attending their second closest post primary school/centre.

Bus Éireann further advise that families from the area referred who apply and pay or enter their medical card details on time will be accommodated with concessionary tickets on existing service for the 2025/26 school year as part of the temporary alleviation measures (TAMs) where services were available.

Bus Éireann has also advised that pupils from these areas, currently availing of transport, have a pick up point of between 3.5 km and 4.5 km from where they reside, and that that the pick-up point is considered to be safe as any other nationwide. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.

The Bus Éireann family portal has now closed for applications and payments. Bus Éireann will now assess all applications and payments received and plan for routes and services for the 2025/26 school year.

Routes may be altered or extended depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

Once routes have been finalised, Bus Éireann will assign tickets for each school transport service. Tickets will begin to issue in mid-July and will continue to issue throughout July and August. Families who are unsuccessful in obtaining a seat will be notified via email and a refund will issue.