Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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467. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided in 2025-2026 for persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39031/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Éireann have advised that the pupils in question are not eligible for school transport as they are attending their second closest school.

Under the current terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Children who are not eligible for school transport but complete the application and pay or enter their medical card details on time will be considered for any spare seats available after eligible children have been accommodated. These spare seats are called concessionary seats.

There may be more demand than availability for concessionary seats. In such cases, Bus Éireann will use a selection process to allocate tickets for the spare seats.

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.

Bus Éireann has advised that there will be two services operating into the school in question in the 25/26 school year.