Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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831. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that children who previously held seats on a school bus are not unfairly displaced under the random allocation process on school transport, given the significant hardship this causes families with no alternative means of transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45598/25]

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.

Under the current terms of the mainstream school transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Eligible children who complete the application process and pay or enter their medical card details on time will get a seat on a school bus service, if a service is available.

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.

The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s primary or post primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann will determine the allocation of the tickets using an agreed selection process.