Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2023
202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if any assistance in respect of school transport can be provided to a number of local families (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43762/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 133,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the start of the 2022/2023 school year. The number of tickets issued so far has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if they are 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 criteria.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
There was a 30% increase in the number of special educational transport journeys from 2019 to the 2022/2023 school year, and already over 1,400 new applications have been received since July for the 2023/2024 school year.
New applications for the 2023/2024 school year will be catered for through a mix of new services (some being individual), children being accommodated on existing services where capacity exists, extensions of existing routes and grants to families.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is allocated to route B3022 and that this route is unfortunately not operating at present.
Bus Éireanns Local Office are intensively working to source a suitable contractor and driver to operate this route.
A Special Transport Interim Grant is available to families of children with special educational needs who, following the application process, are eligible under the terms of the school transport scheme and were awaiting a School Transport service to be put in place.
This grant is a once off payment. The interim grant is offered from the date of application to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until a transport service is ready to commence. Further information on the Special Transport Interim Grant can be found at: gov.ie/schooltransport. If the family have any queries in relation to this grant, they can contact officials in School Transport Section at school_transport@education.gov.ie with their child's details and officials will be happy to assist.
