Skip to main content
Normal View

School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020

Tuesday, 7 July 2020

Questions (438, 439)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

438. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) will receive a refund of school transport fees. [14238/20]

View answer

John McGuinness

Question:

439. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if refunds will be issued to parents in cases in which the school transport system was not used since 12 March 2020; if a discount will be issued to parents affected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14243/20]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 439 together.

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.

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 the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019..

The decision taken by the Government to close schools with effect from 13th March 2020 was taken in the interest of protecting our pupils, their families, teachers and those members of the wider community and is one of the many measures taken to support efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.

Given that the school transport services have not been available to children from 13th March, it was decided that at the end of the current school year a refund for that period of closure will be issued to parents. My Department has been engaging with Bus Éireann in developing a plan for facilitating these refunds and I can confirm that refunds will be issued directly to all entitled family account holders. The refunds process has commenced and refunds to those families who paid by cheque issued last week. With regard to families who paid by card, Bus Éireann has confirmed that they will be shortly emailing all families due to receive a refund to advise them of arrangements.

Top
Share