Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
449. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education if school bus transport will be provided on a qualifying rather than a concessionary basis from Corraguan, Windgap, County Kilkenny, to a school for persons (details supplied); if the appeal lodged with the school transport appeals board will be expedited and approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23784/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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 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.
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 are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and may 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.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the pupils referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their nearest school. However, the family was successful in obtaining concessionary seats for both pupils for the 2020/21 school year and they are currently on a service.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally. Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 3.2 kms to or from a pick up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 2.5 hours per day. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only. Bus Éireann has confirmed that the pick up point for the family in question is 0.5km from their home.
With regard to the appeal referred to by the Deputy, the appeal lodged to the School Transport Appeals Board will be heard at the next meeting which is scheduled for 20th May 2021.
