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School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 October 2020

Tuesday, 20 October 2020

Questions (309)

Martin Browne

Question:

309. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to cases in which children have been denied school bus places despite living distances up to 20 kilometres from the school (details supplied); and the supports in place to find spaces on school buses for these children. [30931/20]

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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 my Department’s  School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2kms at primary and 4.8kms at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

School Transport services  for commenced  on the 26th August for the 2020/21 school year.  All children who are eligible for school transport and who applied and paid by the deadline have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.  

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.  Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann allocates tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process. 

In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.

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