Matt Carthy
Question:154. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the steps that have been taken by her Department to ensure that capacity will be available in school transport for all applicants in 2021/2022. [25119/21]
View answerThursday, 13 May 2021
Questions (154)
Written answers
School 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 the 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 and who complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport in the 2021/22 school year where such services are in operation. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis, where seats are available after all eligible applicants have been accommodated.
My Department has engaged intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year. Based on public health advice my Department provided for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, using 50% of passenger capacity. My officials engage on a weekly basis with public health consultants from the HSE in relation to the safe operation of schools including school transport.
The requirement to implement additional measures on school transport services in the 2021/22 school year will be dependent on the prevailing public health advice at that time.
In addition, my Department is currently conducting a review of the School Transport Scheme. The review is being conducted to ensure that the school transport scheme is fit for purpose and that it serves students and their families adequately. It is planned that the Steering Group will report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report later this year with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme. The Steering Group will report to me initially on preliminary findings regarding eligibility, before moving to consider and report on broader issues such as the objectives of the scheme and the alignment of the scheme with other initiatives and wider government policy. This initial report of the Steering Group is due to be completed shortly.