Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider a request for school transport from a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62305/25]

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 has advised that the pupils referred to are not attending their nearest post primary school/centre and are, therefore, not eligible under the terms of the scheme.

Bus Éireann has further advised that the service in question is currently operating at capacity.

It is recognised that all pupils issued with tickets will not travel every morning and every evening. In addition, certain after school activities may also result in pupils not travelling on certain days.

Bus Éireann organises for vehicles to be full to capacity with tickets based on applications received and based on the seating capacity of the vehicle. It is not feasible to issue additional tickets over and above the seating capacity of the vehicle which could result in a potential overload situation arising and all pupils not being carried on the service.

The terms of the School Transport Schemes still remain that 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.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.