Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 July 2019
256. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied) regarding a school transport service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30598/19]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. There are currently over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, transported in over 5,000 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 meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2019/20 school year.
The number and size of buses operating for the 2019/20 school year will be determined by the number of children who complete the application process on time and who are deemed eligible for school transport.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. In this regard families should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office regarding the availability of transport on a concessionary basis for the next school year.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
