Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020
407. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will investigate the ongoing dispute between Bus Éireann and the family of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39958/20]
View answerSchool 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.
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 apply for transport and who are not eligible under the terms of the scheme are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the pupil to whom the Deputy refers is not attending their nearest post primary school and is therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme.
Bus Éireann has also confirmed that a school transport application was received for this pupil on 11/08/2020 for the 2020/21 school year and as such was a late application and that no payment for transport was received for this pupil.
