Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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425. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that a school bus is funded to transport school children from the Fanad peninsula and Gaeltacht to a school (details supplied) in Letterkenny to ensure that those children can continue their education through the medium of Irish. [62753/25]

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.

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 purpose of the 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 my Department’s Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from their nearest post primary school/centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The Remote Area Grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

Bus Éireann has advised that there are 2 pupils residing in the area referred to by the Deputy. These pupils have applied for school transport for the 2025/26 year and are eligible to school referred. They also advise there is a school transport service that these children are availing of, however the children are required to travel to a pick up point to avail of the service. Bus Éireann also advise that it is not feasible for the service to be brought closer to their homes due to the distance and time constraints.

These families referred above are currently availing of remote area grants from their homes to the pick up point referred above.