School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 September 2020

Thursday, 17 September 2020

Questions (113)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

113. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if school transport for a child (details supplied) will be reviewed; the status of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24464/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

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

Under the terms of the Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Bus Éireann, who operate school transport on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme as they are not attending their closest school. Bus Éireann has also confirmed that payment for transport was received on 10/09/2020 and a refund will be issued to the family in due course.