Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2017
163. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided for a person (details supplied) with special needs in order that the person can access secondary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40656/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
In general, under the terms of the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability in accordance with the designation of high and low incidence disability set out in Department of Education and Skill's (DES) Circular 02/05 and are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
Applications for transport provision, under the terms of this scheme, should only be completed in circumstances where children are not in a position to avail of standard school transport services.
The child referred to is not eligible for special school transport as it is reported that she does not have special educational needs as set out in the Department's Circular 02/05.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs are applied equitably on a national basis.
