Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

488. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils currently availing of the school transport scheme for 2025-2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55276/25]

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.

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.

In addition, over 23,000 pupils are travelling on dedicated school transport services for children with additional needs.