Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the processing of school transport applications for children with disabilities for the current school year; whether it is the case that the CIE office in Broadstone is processing applications across multiple counties; the number of staff currently assigned to this work; and whether additional resources will be allocated to address the backlog and ensure that all eligible children can access school transport as soon as possible. [64692/25]

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 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.

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

In the current school year already over 23,000 pupils are travelling daily on dedicated school transport services for children with additional needs.

Currently, over 5,900 new applications under the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs have been received for the 2025/26 school year. It is important to note that while there is a closing date for applications, the Department accept applications all year round so this number is expected to increase.

The above figure includes new applications from pupils who have moved address or school, pupils who will be placed on existing services where there is capacity, and pupils who will require new services which involve a procurement process. This figure also includes applications where families will request a special transport grant where the pupil is deemed eligible for transport, however, it may not be possible for them to travel on school transport services because of their individual requirements.

All applications are received in the School Transport Section of my Department and processed immediately, there is currently no backlog in relation to these applications.

Where a new service is sanctioned, Bus Éireann are required to go through a procurement and vetting process. Where a procurement of a school transport service and the recruitment of a school transport escort is required, this may take several weeks to put in place.

Both the department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for children with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore receive an interim Special Transport Grant (STG). This is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is intended to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until the service starts.