Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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416. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on additional pilot school transport schemes for the 2025/2026 year; if it is envisaged that further services will be provided during this school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51183/25]

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. Already over 178,000 tickets have issued for the 2025/2026 school year, which is over 5,000 additional tickets when compared with the 2024/2025 school year.

As part of the recommendations of Review 2030, a Review of the School Transport Scheme, a number of School Transport pilot programmes began in the 2024/2025 school year. These pilots are continuing for the current school year.

Changes as recommended in the review will take time and careful planning to implement. The recommended action as part of the review is to implement any changes on a phased basis. It was outlined at the time of the publication of the review that, given that the proposed changes to the eligibility criteria are likely to further increase demand for the scheme, it is considered prudent to implement the proposed scheme changes on a phased basis.

For the 2025/2026 school year, In line with the recommendations arising from the review of the school transport scheme, the School Transport Section of the Department engaged with Bus Éireann to assess and identify where more School Transport pilot programmes could be successfully delivered.

A small number of new pilots have been selected, and the Department has provided sanction to Bus Éireann to review where additional capacity may be available for concessionary pupils who paid on time and would become eligible if the revised school transport scheme criteria was rolled out in full.

This is to pilot the revised scheme eligibility criteria in those areas.

Some of these pilots are up and running and the remainder are going through procurement. The sourcing of additional capacity can take time where a procurement process is required, and subsequent vehicle and Driver safety compliance checks need to be completed.

Once a pilot route is established in an area, pupils travelling on this pilot route will still be considered as concessionary under the current terms of the scheme; the revised eligibility criteria is being tested only for the duration of the pilot projects.

As part of these pilot routes, the distance criteria for pupils will be reduced to 2km for both primary and post primary and the requirement for a pupil to be attending their closest school is removed.

These pilots will provide valuable insights on the impact increased demand will have on the scheme, the potential to integrate public transport services with school transport services, and the facilitation of more sustainable modes of transport.

These insights will give an indication of the scale of planning and implementation required for a national roll out of a revised School Transport Scheme, to include the integration of public transport and school transport services.

Priority is given to provide school transport to pupils that are eligible under the current terms of the school transport scheme. Provision of additional services as pilot projects will be subject to the availability of vehicles and drivers in each area. Implementation of the recommendations of the review will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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417. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the remote area grant will be offered to families whose children qualify for a concessionary school bus ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51204/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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 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.

An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

The remote area grant can only be considered where a child is eligible for transport in the first instance, so does not apply to concessionary pupils.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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418. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the implementation of the school transport review, especially the implementation to the changes of the radius for post primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51205/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the schemes include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for money to the Exchequer. It is proposed to expand access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.

The scale of the scheme is significant, and any changes will take time to plan and implement.

It was outlined at the time of the review’s publication that it would be prudent to implement the scheme changes on a phased basis.

A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024/2025 school year in conjunction with the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann . A total of 14 pilot projects took place in the 2024/2025 school year

These pilots are being evaluated to provide valuable insights into the impact of increased demand on the scheme, the potential for integrating public transport with school transport services, and opportunities to promote more sustainable modes of transport.

It is intended to continue current pilots for the 2025/26 school year.? They will be monitored during the year and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year.? The findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.

My Department together with Bus Éireann is working to identify where further pilot programmes might be conducted subject to resources. The Department has asked Bus Éireann to review where additional capacity may be available for concessionary pupils who paid on time and would become eligible if the revised school transport scheme criteria was rolled out in full. This is in order to pilot the revised scheme eligibility criteria in a small number of areas. Sourcing of additional capacity can take time where a procurement process is required, and subsequent vehicle and Driver safety compliance checks need to be completed.

A number of approaches are being examined including the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify how many additional children would become eligible and where they are located. A digital mapping project of all existing school bus routes is being developed and there is ongoing collaboration with the Department of Transport, Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority in regard to planned expansion of public transport routes to explore where integration may be possible.

Priority is to provide school transport to pupils that are eligible under the current terms of the school transport scheme. Provision of additional services as pilot projects will be subject to the availability of vehicles and drivers in each area. Implementation of the recommendations of the review will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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419. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria used to select the pilot areas for the school transport review pilot scheme in 2024/2025. [51206/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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420. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will consider additional schools or areas for inclusion in the next phase of the school transport review pilot scheme; and if so, the application process for a school or community to express an interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51207/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 and 420 together.

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. Changes as recommended in the review will take time and careful planning to implement. The recommended action as part of the review is to implement any changes on a phased basis. It was outlined at the time of the publication of the review that, given that the proposed changes to the eligibility criteria are likely to further increase demand for the scheme, it is considered prudent to implement the proposed scheme changes on a phased basis.

As part of the recommendations of Review 2030, a Review of the School Transport Scheme, a number of School Transport pilot programmes began in the 2024/2025 school year. These pilots are continuing for the current school year.

The integrated pilot was selected to assess the benefits of integrating school and public transport for post primary students. The area was already earmarked by the National Transport Authority for capacity enhancements, there are a number of post primary schools on the route and dedicated school transport services were operating along the corridor.

It utilises the cross functional experience and knowledge that Bus Éireann has developed from its years of administration and operation of the School Transport scheme, alongside its network of commercial and PSO services nationwide.

The School Transport Scheme and Public Transport integration project is a joint effort between the Department of Education and the Department of Transport, supported by the National Transport Authority and Bus Éireann.

Dedicated school pilots were identified in consultation with Bus Éireann, families and local representatives, where it was possible to pilot the revised scheme criteria for pupils who would become eligible under such revised criteria.

For the 2025/2026 school year, In line with the recommendations arising from the review of the school transport scheme, the School Transport Section of the Department engaged with Bus Éireann to assess and identify where more School Transport pilot programmes could be successfully delivered.

A small number of pilots have been selected, and the Department has provided sanction to Bus Éireann to review where additional capacity may be available for concessionary pupils who paid on time and would become eligible if the revised school transport scheme criteria was rolled out in full.

This is to pilot the revised scheme eligibility criteria in a small number of areas.

Sourcing of additional capacity can take time where a procurement process is required, and subsequent vehicle and Driver safety compliance checks need to be completed.

Once a pilot route is established in an area, pupils travelling on this pilot route will still be considered as concessionary under the current terms of the scheme; the revised eligibility criteria is being tested only for the duration of the pilot projects.

As part of these pilot routes, the distance criteria for pupils will be reduced to 2km for both primary and post primary and the requirement for a pupil to be attending their closest school is removed.

These pilots will provide valuable insights on the impact increased demand will have on the scheme, the potential to integrate public transport services with school transport services, and the facilitation of more sustainable modes of transport.

These insights will give an indication of the scale of planning and implementation required for a national roll out of a revised School Transport Scheme, to include the integration of public transport and school transport services.

Priority is given to provide school transport to pupils that are eligible under the current terms of the school transport scheme. Provision of additional services as pilot projects will be subject to the availability of vehicles and drivers in each area. Implementation of the recommendations of the review will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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421. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the means by which requests for safety reviews of bus stops used for school buses are processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51208/25]

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 is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of my Department. Safety of children travelling on the 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.

Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.

Parents or guardians are expected to make suitable arrangements to bring their children to and from the school bus, taking whatever safety precautions they may deem necessary to do so.

Any specific queries should be raised with Bus Éireann who have a dedicated call centre in place at LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are usually 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday. Families can also submit queries by selecting the “School Transport” option on the contact form

Queries can also be directed to my department’s school transport section through their customer case form at this link cs.education.gov.ie/ who will liaise with Bus Éireann in this regard.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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422. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the requirement of school transport being considered as part of the NCSE registration process for special education classes for 2025/2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51209/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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.

In order to support the NCSE and forward planning, my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning going forward and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. An earlier date of 1 October has been set in which parents must do so.

This notification will provide the NCSE with valuable information as to which children will continue to require a special class as they progress to post-primary level and details on students who require a place for the first time. The NCSE is actively communicating this requirement nationally also.

The earlier date will allow for earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, and it is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.

Parents can make initial contact, submit reports and provide consent forms directly via the NCSE’s website, emailing parentsnotify@ncse.ie or calling 01 603 3346.

Applications for school transport for children with special educational needs are made by the parent/guardian to the school principal. The principal will forward the application to the SENO that is affiliated with the school the child is attending.

At the moment, applications for school transport for children with special educational needs are accepted all year round, however school transport section is working closely with the NCSE to ensure that these applications are submitted as early as possible following school placements being accepted by parents or guardians.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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423. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of concessionary tickets issued to families living in the Dublin Fingal west constituency for the 2024/2025 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51210/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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424. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school bus tickets issued to families living in the Dublin Fingal west constituency who were eligible for school transport for the 2024/2025 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51211/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 423 and 424 together.

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.

In the current school year already almost 178,000 children and young people are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country.

Of those 178,000 pupils, services facilitate over 100,000 mainstream pupils who are eligible for transport, as well as over 49,000 concessionary pupils.

This figure includes pupils travelling on mainstream services, pupils who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine, those residing in International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) centres and also dedicated services for children with special educational needs with special educational needs.

The scheme has expanded significantly over the past six years, and we have seen an almost 50% increase on the number of pupils travelling on all services.

The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available as further information is required by Bus Éireann in order to provide an accurate response. School Transport Section of my Department have contacted the Deputy's office directly with a view to refining the request.

Once this is received, the response will issue directly to the Deputy.

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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425. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the details of the special transport grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51212/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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In relation to the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, a parent/guardian may avail of a Special Transport Grant (STG) for a child with special educational needs. A school transport application under the scheme must have been made before the STG can be considered.

Where the provision of a reasonable level of transport service is not possible, the STG may be provided by the department on the basis outlined below:

• Bus Éireann is not in a position to arrange a reasonable level of service for the child
• the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) by reference to relevant professional reports or through information supplied by the relevant school authority, is satisfied that the nature of the child’s disability is such that they would be unable to avail of a time-tabled school bus service which picks up other children along the route

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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426. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the details of the remote area grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51213/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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 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.

An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

The grant, which is payable annually at the end of the school year, is generally based on the distance a family resides from their school of eligibility and based on the number of days attended. The rate of grant paid ranges from €1.30 per day to the maximum daily allowance payable of €5.10 per day per family.

Further information on Remote Area Grant can be found at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/school-transport/#remote-area-grant