Michael Healy-Rae
Question:180. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30520/20]
View answerWednesday, 14 October 2020
Questions (180)
Written answers
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 Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the 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.
Bus Éireann has advised that medical card details for the pupil to which the Deputy refers were received on the 8th September, 2020 and, as such, is late.
However, Bus Éireann has advised that there is a school transport service available to this family and the family has been notified and the pupil has been accommodated on this service.