Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
884. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education if it is planned to increase capacity for concessionary ticket holders for the next academic year for applicants (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14764/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
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 Post-Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that pupils who reside in the areas referred to by the Deputy are not eligible to the Post Primary Centre they are attending. Children who apply for transport but who are not eligible are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
The facility to apply for school transport for the upcoming school year is now open on the School Transport Section of the Bus Éireann website, www.buseireann.ie.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
