Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 May 2021
487. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the reason Bus Éireann is withdrawing a service (details supplied) from Listowel County Kerry; if the matter will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25925/21]
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 3.2 km at primary and 4.8 km 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 complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for 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 only and will 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.
I can confirm that there has been no instruction from my Department to Bus Éireann to remove the service in question. The closing date for applications for school transport was Friday, 30th April. In line with normal practice, routes for the 2021/2022 school year will be planned and organised over the coming months.
