Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has engaged with Bus Éireann regarding the ongoing failure to secure a school transport provider for students at a school (details supplied); will she outline how her Department intends to support the resumption of this essential service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49527/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered the use of smaller buses or local operators to bridge the gap in school transport provision for children at a school (details supplied); to confirm the timeline envisaged for implementation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49528/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available to families currently being advised to use taxis at a cost of approximately €80 per day in the absence of school transport such as the case in a school (details supplied); if her Department will cover the full cost of such transport until a permanent solution is found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49525/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 227 and 244 together.

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Bus Éireann are required to tender services in line with procurement guidelines and are responsible for the allocating and Garda vetting clearance of a contractor to operate this service. Bus Éireann have advised that the service in question was handed back by the contractor. This service is now currently in the procurement process. Once a suitable contractor has been sourced this service will commence.In such circumstances where there is no existing suitable service available to meet a child's needs, and while Bus Éireann are in the process of establishing the service for the child referred, the Department will offer an Interim Special Transport Grant (STG) to families of eligible children towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This is based on the number of days attended from the date of application until a suitable service becomes available. The families will be contacted in the coming days in this regard.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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228. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which her Department is coordinating with the Department of Education and Youth to ensure that children with additional needs do not lose out on schooling due to tendering failures or shortages of bus drivers; if either Department have an estimate of the number of children currently missing school or relying on private taxis due to issues with school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49529/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will review the current school transport tendering process to ensure continuity of service for children with special educational needs; the changes which are being considered to avoid repeated disruption to vulnerable students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49526/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 245 together.

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. In the 2024/25 school year, over 173,000 children were transported daily in approximately 8,200 vehicles across 10,600 routes daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres.

This figure includes just under 144,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, just under 22,000 pupils with special educational needs, and just under 7,000 pupils who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine.

The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.

The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.

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.

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

Unfortunately, Bus Éireann has reported difficulties in recent weeks in specific locations with a small number of contracted services, where it has not yet been possible to provide vehicles and/or drivers.

These difficulties have arisen in some cases due to lack of driver or contractor availability, or where either zero bids were received for a service, despite repeated efforts to procure one. The Bus Éireann School Transport team is working intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible.

The situation is dynamic with solutions being found on a regular basis. Bus Éireann has contacted the affected families directly and will maintain communications with them.

There are currently over 23,600 children with special educational needs on dedicated school transport services.

Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Bus Éireann are required to tender services in line with procurement guidelines and are responsible for the allocating and vetting of a contractor to operate this service.

In such circumstances where there is no existing suitable service available to meet a child's needs, and while Bus Éireann are in the process of sourcing a dedicated service, the Department will offer a Special Transport Grant (STG) to families of eligible children towards the cost of private transport arrangements based on the number of days attended from the date of application until a suitable dedicated specialised service becomes available. Families of eligible children on this service will be written to in the coming days in this regard.

Work is continuing in order to resolve this matter and Bus Éireann are committed to providing transport to these students as quickly as is possible.

Bus Éireann has put in place a dedicated customer care call centre to assist families specifically with School Transport queries during the busy summer period. Families that have queries can contact the call centre on: LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are usually 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.

Families can also contact Bus Éireann by submitting a query via the following link Customer Care - Bus Éireann - School Transport.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the correspondence regarding school transport (details supplied); if tickets for the children mentioned will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49534/25]

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 School Transport Schemes, at post primary level, pupils are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann have advised that the pupils in question are not eligible for school transport as they are attending their 5th closest post primary centre. While the pupils applied and paid on time for the current school year, they were not successful in obtaining concessionary tickets and the service is operating to capacity.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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230. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the correspondence (details supplied); if ticket for the child will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49537/25]

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 School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and 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.

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.

Bus Éireann have advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is attending their 5th nearest post primary centre so is not eligible for transport. They were unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary ticket for the 2025/26 school year and the service is currently operating to capacity.