Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Bus Éireann will consider extending the upper age limit for school bus drivers from the current cut-off point of 70 years to 75 years or beyond, provided that drivers are medically fit given that there is no legal upper age limit in the State requiring a person to cease driving; his views that such a change could help alleviate shortages of school bus drivers around the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6690/26]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a substantial national operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.

The retirement age for school bus drivers has been set by Bus Éireann at 70 years of age, which also applies to all Bus Éireann road passenger services.

The policy and criteria also apply to drivers nominated by private operators who operate services as part of the School Transport Scheme, provided they hold the requisite license and satisfy an annual medical examination until they retire at age 70.

Under the new Programme for Government, a commitment has been made to "Carry out an independent assessment on the feasibility of removing the exclusion of drivers aged over 70 from the School Transport Scheme".

There is ongoing engagement between the Department and Bus Éireann to advance this commitment as quickly as possible.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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53. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be a recruitment campaign in 2026 for school bus operators and drivers to help alleviate the shortage of school bus places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6691/26]

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 a demand led scheme based on the number of eligible children who apply. The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and directly recruited drivers, and private contractors who recruit their own drivers to operate on the scheme.

As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by private contractors under the School Transport Scheme.

Over 90% of school bus services are provided by private contractors, each contractor recruits school vehicle drivers directly.

As part of a national focus on driver requirements, the Department (of Education and Youth) facilitated a working group between the Department of Education and Youth, Department of Transport, Bus Éireann and Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) to increase the availability of drivers within both the school transport scheme and other public transport areas nationally, through existing and potential training schemes.

As a result of work undertaken by the working group, a taskforce was established which is chaired by the Department of Transport. The Department of Transport has advised that the aim of the taskforce is to work collaboratively to identify contributing factors to the recruitment issues and put forward recommendations and measures to create a pipeline of workers to address these issues. In line with the Department of Transport PfG commitment, this taskforce is currently examining all challenges and opportunities to ensure a fully resourced transport workforce, such as drivers, mechanics, and craftworkers. All factors impacting issues such as recruitment, training and retention will be considered as a part of the taskforce’s work programme.

Bus Éireann is actively seeking to recruit more contractors and drivers for the School Transport Scheme and a national and local media campaign has been launched to attract professional drivers. Further information can be found at: www.buseireann.ie

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the guidelines relating to the distance to a child’s nearest school will be reviewed, particularly in cases where a child requires a special education place and the nearest school with such facilities may be the furthest from the family home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6692/26]

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 acts in an advisory role to the Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).

School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO. It is recognised that for some children and young people, this may not be the school nearest to their home.

Parents should contact their school principal who will assist in making an application for school transport to the SENO that is affiliated with the school the child is attending.

Further details of this scheme can be found on the Departments website www.gov.ie/en/service/07a71-school-transport/#children-with-special-educational-needs

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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55. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a more efficient system will be put in place for the 2026/2027 school year to ensure that queries from Oireachtas members receive timely replies for their constituents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6693/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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My Department is committed to treating all our customers equally and to delivering quality customer service and has both a Customer Charter and Customer Service Strategy in place.

My Department’s Customer Charter outlines the standards of service customers can expect when corresponding with my Department. My Department works to continuously improve the quality of the services it provides and it does so by applying the 12 Quality Customer Service Guiding Principles for the public service, which are set out in our Customer Service Strategy.

My Department’s Customer Service Strategy 2024-2026 details its commitment to providing the most efficient, professional, and courteous service to all our customers and provides further clarity on how the Customer Charter commitments will be delivered in accordance with the guiding Principles of Quality Customer Service common to the wider public service.

Formal correspondence received by my Department is managed via an eCorrespondence system. The same targets outlined in the Customer Charter apply to such correspondence.

To ensure customer satisfaction, over the lifetime of the Customer Service Strategy, my Department has begun consultations with our external customers to fully understand their challenges, and to involve them in the design and improvement of our services, so we can improve user experience and an inclusive service delivery.

My Department monitors its customer service performance using internal management information systems and reports, consultation with its customers and feedback received through its complaints procedure.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be additional school transport routes for the Wicklow–Wexford area for the 2026/2027 school year following the evaluation of the 2025/2026 pilot scheme; when this will be announced in advance of the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6694/26]

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.

It was outlined at the time of the review’s publication that the proposed changes to the eligibility criteria will likely increase demand for the scheme. On this basis, it would be prudent to implement the proposed changes on a phased basis to ensure its rollout is as smooth as possible.

A phased implementation of the School Transport Review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024/2025 school year where the Department began testing the feasibility of a number of approaches through a series of pilot programmes; these pilot programmes are held in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann.

A total of fourteen pilot projects took place in the 2024/2025 school year and will continue for the current school year.

Following the closing date for payment for the 2025/2026 school year the Department, in collaboration with Bus Éireann, assessed where dedicated school transport/pilots may be successfully delivered, and a further eleven pilots were approved. 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. Some of these pilots are operational and the remainder are going through procurement.

Due to ongoing challenges in the wider transport sector, including availability of drivers and vehicles, any expansion of services must be carefully planned and phased. While pilot projects are being considered in select areas to test revised eligibility criteria, these pilots are limited in scope and capacity.

All pilots – including those which commenced in the 2024/2025 school year – are being monitored and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year. Findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)
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57. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when evaluating new routes, if he and Bus Éireann will allocate a new route to an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6695/26]

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 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.

Under the 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.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.

Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places. In these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Bus Éireann has advised that all eligible pupils who applied and paid on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2025/26 school year.

Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.

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.

A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class / special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria.

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

Parents should contact their school principal who will assist in making an application for school transport to the SENO that is affiliated with the school the child is attending.

Bus Éireann has advised that all eligible pupils who applied to the school referred to by the Deputy have been accommodated on dedicated school transport services for the 2025/26 school year or are availing of a special transport grant.