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School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Questions (33)

Michael Moynihan

Question:

33. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that her Department is working with parents to address the transportation needs of pupils with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40092/20]

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Oral answers (8 contributions)

My question relates to the Department's arrangements for working with parents to address the transportation needs of pupils with disabilities.

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. In the 2019-20 school year, more than 120,000 children were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country, covering more than 100 million km at a cost in excess of €219 million in 2019.

The Department is very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for children with special educational needs and this is reflected in the approach that is taken. In the current school year, there are more than 14,500 children availing of special needs school transport, which is an increase of 5,300 children since 2013. The Department funded the school transport scheme in 2019 in the amount of just over €219 million, with 53% of that allocated to the transport scheme for children with special needs.

The purpose of the special needs transport scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class, special school or unit that is, or can be, resourced to meet their needs. Where practicable, my Department will consider the provision of specific or individual transport arrangements in circumstances where travel in the company of other children is not deemed feasible. In addition, there is a facility within the special needs transport scheme for the appointment of a school bus escort where a child's care and safety needs while on school transport are such as to require that support.

All eligible children are exempt from school transport charges. A special transport grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided at the discretion of the Department in certain situations where, for example, the child's care or medical needs are such as to make the provision of a transport service impracticable. While the closing date for receipt of applications for school transport in general is the last Friday in April of any given year for the following school year, my Department accepts applications all year round for the special needs transport scheme. As the Deputy may be aware, public health advice issued to my Department in late August recommended that all post-primary transport services operate at 50% capacity. That recommendation is being implemented across all special education services on which post-primary children travel. The special education transport scheme is providing for the transportation needs of pupils with disabilities.

I thank the Minister for her reply. I have in mind two cases that have been brought to my attention which are probably a reflection of general issues with the scheme. In one of those cases, a pupil who was travelling to post-primary school for the first time applied for special transport and was accommodated on the taxi service that was being run to and from the school in question. Unfortunately, due to the child's needs, the arrangement did not work out and the parents have been doing the school run themselves. They have tried to switch from the taxi service to the special grant that is available for children with special needs but are finding it hugely difficult to get their application processed and obtain clear guidance on the matter from the Department. There should be some mechanism within the Department to deal with such applications. The Minister outlined the funding figures and the changes that have happened.

However, it is a specialised type of transport for children who cannot travel with other children, for whatever reason.

With regard to the case the Deputy referred to in respect of a special transport grant, I will outline exactly how that works. The special transport grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided at the discretion of the Department in situations where: Bus Éireann is not in a position to provide a transport service; where a child's age, behavioural difficulties or medical needs are such as to make the provision of a transport service impractical; an escort is considered necessary and the provision of such support is not feasible; or the cost of establishing or maintaining a service is considered prohibitive. Obviously, I am not familiar with the individual case, but if it meets any of the criteria, and perhaps it does,-----

-----the Deputy might give me the details and I will ask my officials to investigate and expedite the matter. There is a clear acknowledgement in the Department that in some instances it is necessary for the special transport grant to be paid.

I thank the Minister and appreciate her offer. I will take it up immediately.

The other issue relates to children who have attended a special school which is the nearest special school to them. However, their needs would be better met in a special school that is further away from them. The decision of the parents to transfer their child to the other special school is supported by documentation from consultants, professionals and people who assisted the parents in making the decision. It is also supported by numerous reports. The parents have sent all that to the Department of Education, but the Department has been reluctant to go outside the terms of the scheme or outside the nearest school issue.

I put it to the Minister that there should be flexibility in the Department when a decision that is outside the norm or not within the criteria of the scheme is supported by expert psychologists' reports and other information. There should be a mechanism there, as there is in other Departments with regard to force majeure and so forth.

Again, to refer to the previous case the Deputy raised, there is considerable flexibility and an acknowledgement in the Department that one size does not necessarily fit all. For that reason, as I pointed out with regard to the special transport grant and the various criteria, the criteria are quite wide in terms of eligibility and making provision for personally providing transport for children based on their specific needs or Bus Éireann's capacity. With regard to the nearest school and issues that might arise there, a review of the entire transport scheme is pending.

On the case referred to by the Deputy, I would be pleased if he would give me specific details about the individual concerned and the needs required. I will give a commitment that we will examine the individual case.

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