Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020
430. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that availed of the school transport system 2019-2020 in County Wexford; the number of students that made applications; the number of students that were unsuccessful in their application in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18920/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.
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 2019/2020 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.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann has advised that the number of students that availed of school transport services for the 2019/2020 school year in County Wexford; the number of students that made applications; the number of students that were unsuccessful is as follows;
|
Mainstream |
No of Applications |
Tickets Issued |
Not Paid |
Eligible - No Seats (All Applied/Paid Late) |
Concessionary - No Seats |
|
Eligible |
3948 |
3914 |
11 |
23 |
|
|
Concessionary |
1829 |
1800 |
7 |
|
22 (only 8 Applied & Paid on Time) |
|
Total |
5777 |
5714 |
18 |
23 |
22 (only 8 Applied & Paid on Time) |
418 pupils also availed of school transport for children with special educational needs transport during that year.
