Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
457. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of children who applied for a school bus from Quin, County Clare to Tulla, County Clare, including any children who were refused the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25573/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
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. In general, children are eligible for school transport if they are attending their nearest school and satisfy the requisite distance criteria. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only.
Seats for concessionary applicants are allocated after all eligible children have been accommodated on school transport services. This exercise normally takes place after the closing date for receipt of payments. Where seats are limited a random selection process is used.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that there were 23 applications received for transport to Tulla Post Primary Centre from Quin village. Of the 23 children 12 eligible and one concessionary child were issued with tickets on existing services while there were 10 concessionary applicants who were unsuccessful in the random selection of concessionary tickets.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
