Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 October 2018
139. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a bus for students to be accommodated in an area (details supplied) will be approved; the number of students which will be accommodated; if all students will be catered for as part of the additional service; when the service will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43011/18]
View answerSchool 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.
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.
A number of children from the area referred to by the Deputy who are eligible for school transport were late in submitting their payment details and services are now operating to capacity. My Department is examining the position in regard to otherwise eligible applicants who did not pay within the notified application process timelines and for whom a seat is not available for the 2018/19 school year.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
