Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 November 2023
274. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education to provide the details of the school transport grant; who can apply for same; what the application process is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52239/23]
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.
Over 134,000 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. There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.
Under the current terms of the schemes, children are eligible for school 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.
An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
Families who are eligible for Remote Area Grant payment and are contacted directly by School Transport Section towards the end of the relevant school year.
Separately, the purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.
In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
A Special Transport Grant (STG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided to families of eligible children as follows;
• in situations where Bus Éireann is not in a position to provide a transport service or have contractor/procurement issues until a service becomes available
• behavioural difficulties or medical needs are such as to make the provision of a transport service impracticable
• an escort is considered necessary and the provision of such support is not feasible
• School Transport Section of my Department contact families in this regard, following consultation with Bus Éireann on these applications.
• Tickets were issued for school transport on bus services that had been secured for the 2023/24 school year and unfortunately a number of difficulties arose for Bus Éireann in having services in place for the start of the new school year in some localities with a small number of contracted services. Since families had been issued with a ticket on board one of these services affected, the Department sanctioned an interim arrangement to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements for these families until a service commenced. These families were contacted by School Transport Section in this regard.
