Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 16 September 2016
496. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills why persons (details supplied) are being denied school transport; why their special educational needs and the impact that uprooting them from their current school would have on their development and education are not being taken into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26146/16]
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.
In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised mainstream or special school that is or can be resourced to meet their 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).
In this case, it has been reported that the school referred to by Deputy does not represent the nearest school to the home of the children referred to by the Deputy that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria.
The children mentioned in this case are therefore not eligible for school transport to the school referred to under the terms of the school transport scheme.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs are applied equitably on a national basis.
