Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

261. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review correspondence (details supplied); if a ticket for the person can be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49885/25]

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 and Youth.

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Youth on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Bus Éireann has advised that in recent weeks they issued tickets for school transport on bus services that had been secured for the 2025/26 school year. Unfortunately, a number of difficulties have arisen in having services in place for the start of the new school year in some localities with a small number of contracted services.

For families who have been issued with a tickets on board one of these services affected, the Department is sanctioning an interim arrangement to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements until your service is in place.

This payment will be paid as an exceptional measure and will be calculated from the date the service was due to commence up to the date that a service in provided .

The interim grant for children on main stream services, the Exceptional Interim Grant (EIG), is linked to ticket holders and is paid for the number of days that children attended school from 25th August 2025 until a school transport service commences.

Children who are eligible for school transport for children with special educational needs may avail of the Interim Special Transport Grant. This is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised.

School Transport Section of my department will be writing to all families affected to offer the grants mentioned above in the coming weeks.

Bus Éireann is continuing to work intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible, and every effort is being made to ensure transport can be sourced and put in place as soon as possible.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review correspondence (details supplied) regarding a proposal for a new school bus route to serve Carrickmacross; if the proposal will be considered as a matter of urgency to accommodate children in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50243/25]

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 scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs.

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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they 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 is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 3.2 kms to or from a pick-up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 1.5 hours per day. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.

Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from Bus Éireann designated pick up and set down points.

Bus Éireann have advised that the family to whom the Deputy refers, are eligible for school transport and reside 550 metres to the pick-up point. Bus Éireann has advised that the Service Supervisor is in the process of assessing this area and will liaise with the family directly in this regard.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

263. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review correspondence (details supplied) regarding school transport services for secondary school students living along the Aghalile Road (L4000) in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan; if the existing service (A1869) can be adjusted to ensure safer and more accessible pick-up points, in view of the fact some children are currently required to walk long distances along the Shercock Road to the nearest stop [50260/25]

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 and Youth.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of the Department. Safety of children travelling on school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 3.2 kms to or from a pick-up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 1.5 hours per day. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.

Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from Bus Éireann designated pick up and set down points.

Bus Eireann has advised that the local bus inspector is in the process of assessing this area and following this assessment, families will be contacted.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

264. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review correspondence regarding school transport (details supplied); if he will address the concerns raised; if the existing service can be adjusted to ensure safer and more accessible pick-up points; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50265/25]

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 and Youth.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of the Department. Safety of children travelling on school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 3.2 kms to or from a pick-up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 1.5 hours per day. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.

Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from Bus Éireann designated pick up and set down points.

Bus Eireann has advised that the local bus inspector is in the process of assessing this area and following this assessment, families will be contacted.

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

265. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to examine issues with the school transport application for a child (details supplied); if a ticket will be issued in this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50289/25]

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 and Youth.

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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they 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.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.

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.

Because of 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.

Bus Eireann has advised that the pupil mentioned by the Deputy resides 2.6 kms from home to school, their nearest school and school of attendance. This pupil is not eligible for transport as they do not meet the distance criteria under the primary school transport scheme.

Bus Eireann further advise that an application and payment was received on time for the 2025/26 school year however the pupil mentioned was unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary seat for the 2025/26 school year and the existing service is currently operating to capacity. A refund will follow.