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School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021

Tuesday, 6 July 2021

Questions (311)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

311. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the reason that Catholic schools are not considered to have the same ethos as educate together schools at the primary school level and are considered to have the same ethos at the post-primary school level for the purposes of the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36224/21]

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Written answers

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. 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 school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres at primary and 4.8 kilometres at post-primary and are attending their nearest school or education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

In relation to school transport provision, ethos relates to religious ethos and is in the context of provision for minority religions.

My Department recently commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme. Following commencement of this review in February 2021 and a detailed analysis and report conducted by the Technical Working Group in the interim period, the Steering Group recently presented me with its initial interim report, a report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school.

Wider considerations relating to the objectives of the scheme and the criteria for eligibility will take place in the next phase of the review which is now underway. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.

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