Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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755. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will review a concessionary ticket application for school transport in the case of a family (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44526/25]

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.

Bus Éireann have advised that the family to whom the Deputy refers to, are not eligible for school transport as they are attending the sixth nearest school from where the family reside. However, the family have received concessionary tickets for the 2025/2026 school year.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.

Due to the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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756. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review a concessionary ticket application for school transport for a child (details provided) on medical grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44527/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is not eligible under the terms of the scheme as they reside under the distance criteria. Bus Éireann further advise that there was excess demand for this service and the child referred was not successful in securing a ticket on a main stream service for the 2025/26 school year.

Special transport arrangements on medical grounds may be considered by the Department where a pupil is attending their nearest school/post primary school/center, has a medical condition, and the condition is such that it would prevent the child from making his/her own way to the school, or the pick-up point, as appropriate.

Where such applications are made, the Department requests that the pupil's GP complete an Application for School Transport on Medical Grounds, which outlines the nature and severity of the medical condition. The form is then forwarded to the Medical Advisor, who, on the basis of the medical evidence submitted, determines whether the above conditions apply. This form is available on my Department’s website on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/form/school-transport-application-for-school-transport-on-medical-grounds/ .

Details regarding school transport on medical grounds and an application form have been sent to the family of this child referred to by the Deputy by the School Transport Section of my Department.

Bus Éireann has advised that there is currently a seat available on a dedicated service travelling to this school on which the child referred could avail of should they be deemed eligible on medical grounds. In order to apply for this service, the family must complete the above application process.