School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Under the terms of the Primary and Post-Primary Transport Schemes, children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the current school year where such services are in operation.
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, 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.
The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport and Bus Éireann has advised that he commenced on a school transport service on Monday 24th September 2018.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
