Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

485. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No.484 of 10 June 2025, if school transport will be provided to a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39257/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.

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.

Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post primary level are continued for the current school year. Under these measures, transport will be provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school, are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil mentioned by the Deputy applied and paid on time. They further advise that there is a bus route from the pupils home area to the post primary/school centre and the pupil is eligible under TAMs.

Bus Éireann will now assess all applications and payments received and plan for routes and services for the 2025/26 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.