Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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490. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of transporting special education children to school in Meath for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39324/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The information required is not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy as costs are not attributed on a per county of school basis, and is dependent on the number of days operated on a per route basis. Routes can cover a number of schools in an area that may not be in the same county. The estimated total cost of providing school transport nationally including escort grant payments to schools, and Special Transport Grant payments to families is currently approximately half the overall school transport expenditure.

Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised 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 my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.

A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Youth criteria.

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

Parents should contact their school principal who will assist in making an application for school transport to the SENO that is affiliated with the school the child is attending.

Further details of this scheme can be found on the Department's website www.gov.ie/en/service/07a71-school-transport/#children-with-special-educational-needs