Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
953. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education the outcome of the calibrated measurement of a school transport route for a person (details supplied); if this pupil will qualify for school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39497/21]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were 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 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 education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann, who operate school transport on behalf of my Department, has advised that they carried out a calibrated measurement as requested on the distance from home to school for the child referred to by the Deputy, and have advised that the child in this case is residing 4.69 kms from their home to the school referred of attendance.
As the measurement remains under the distance criteria, the child referred to in this case in deemed concessionary for school transport to the school they are attending.
