Denise Mitchell
Question:126. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education the status of building works to be carried out on a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45409/21]
View answerSchools Building Projects
Questions (126)
Written answers
The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design.
In October 2020, in order to expedite the progression of this major building project the Department authorised DDLETB and its Design Team to commence a pre-qualification process to select a shortlist of contractors, in parallel with the Department’s review of the stage 2(b) submission for this project.
The Stage 2(b) report has been reviewed and my Department recently received Design Team confirmations from each member of the Design Team that they have carried out a final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with Department requirements.
My Department has this week authorised the ETB and its design team to complete the pre-qualification process to shortlist building contractors and then proceed to Tender Stage.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (127, 158, 186)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:127. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the measures she is planning to take to ensure that spending is at least brought into line with the OECD average of 4.9% of GDP in view of the recent OECD report that ranks Ireland lowest in education spending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45644/21]
View answer
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Question:158. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the current and planned investment in primary and secondary education in the context of recent findings of the OECD report Education at a Glance 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45669/21]
View answer
Paul Murphy
Question:186. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the actions she will take to increase education spending to bring Ireland up to at least the OECD average of 4.9% of GDP given that according to the OECD, Ireland has the lowest spending on education out of 36 countries at just 3.3% of GDP. [45682/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 158 and 186 together.
There are various expenditure measures presented in the OECD’s most recent Education at a Glance, and expenditure as a percentage of GDP is just one of them. Ireland has consistently argued that, given the well-known measurement issues with GDP due to globalisation effects, an alternative measure should be used. This is acknowledged in the methodological notes of the report which notes that in 2016 Ireland produced a modified estimate of the gross national income (GNI*) that was recommended by the Economic Statistics Review Group and which is designed to specifically exclude these effects.
An alternative measure of government commitment to education spending can be seen in our measure of public expenditure on education as a percentage of total public expenditure, which in 2018 stood at 12.6%, well above the OECD average which stood at 10.7%. Ireland was ranked tenth for this indicator in the OECD report.
With regard to funding for education it should be noted that in the Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, this Government is committed to building a world class education system.
Over recent budgets, additional resources have been made available to our schools, including through the delivery of thousands of extra teaching and Special Needs Assistant posts, increased capitation in schools, enhanced supports for school leadership and an improved staffing schedule in primary schools. This is in addition to the significant COVID-19 financial resources provided in 2020 and again in 2021 to allow schools to operate in accordance with the latest public health guidance.
In the context of Budget 2022 we will continue to aim to deliver on the commitments set out in the Programme for Government, to meet demographic and other pressures in the school sector and to support and sustain our schools, their staff and our students in the face of the ongoing significant challenges posed by COVID-19.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (128)
Violet-Anne Wynne
Question:128. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools that are awaiting exceptional reviews for adapted special needs assistants allocation. [45195/21]
View answerWritten answers
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your question has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.
The NCSE manages the exceptional review process and handles each case individually. Some review requests can be concluded as an office based exercise, whilst others require a school to be visited. The timeframe for concluding a review can vary depending on the school context or the nature of the information provided.
In processing applications for an exceptional review of SNA support, the NCSE considers each application on the basis of the information provided by the school. Schools are required to use their existing allocation and deploy SNAs in support of the care needs as they are currently presenting in the school. The NCSE examines the application to identify whether there has been a significant change in the profile of care needs in the school. In some cases an additional allocation is required and is subsequently made available to the school. As advised in the Guidelines on the SNA Exceptional Review process published on the NCSE website, priority is given to schools with no or limited SNA resources and to rapidly developing schools.
For the 2020/21 Exceptional Review process, given the particular public health requirements and the fact that school buildings were closed for some of the year, wherever possible the opportunity was taken to conclude a review as an office based exercise. In most cases this resulted with the review being brought to a conclusion without a school visit. However, in some cases it was also necessary to visit the school in order to complete the process and 332 such school visits took place. The school visit provides an opportunity to engage with teachers, SNAs and school management on the effective deployment of SNAs in the school and the NCSE is thankful to schools for facilitating their taking place.
The NCSE have confirmed that as at the end of August 2021, 532 schools had submitted applications for exceptional review. Of these, 136 schools are awaiting an outcome.
School Transport
Questions (129)
Claire Kerrane
Question:129. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if she will reconsider the 50% capacity rule on buses for post-primary schools in line with 100% capacity on public transport; if she has sought advice on an increase in capacity from public health bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45574/21]
View answerWritten answers
The 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, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and who have applied and paid on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. This arrangement is in place for current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and are offered seats where capacity exists after all eligible children have been catered for. Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2021/2022 school year.
Planning for school transport for the 2021/22 school year has proceeded on the basis that the public health measures in place as schools closed at the end of the last school year would remain as term began in this new school year. This includes the recommendations from Public Health that post-primary services would operate at 50% capacity and that masks would be worn. All other measures relating to hygiene, pre-assigned seating, cleaning and the wearing of masks by post-primary students are also in place. However, as the vaccination programme for children on post-primary services is rolled out and as the lifting of restrictions on public transport services proceeds, the capacity limit of 50% on post-primary school transport services will be subject to ongoing review and the Department will be considering the position in this regard over the coming weeks.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that to date 104,324 pupils, including 54,728 post primary eligible pupils and 14,735 post primary concessionary pupils have been issued tickets for the School Transport Scheme. This number is changing as tickets continue to be allocated to pupils.
Should post-primary services resume operating at 100% capacity and where additional vehicles that were provided for social distancing purposes are removed, any spare capacity available will be offered on those services to concessionary pupils or late applicants where such capacity exists.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (130)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Question:130. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of the summer programme for 2021 including registrations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45676/21]
View answerWritten answers
In May 2021 the Government announced a package of supports to enable all primary and post primary schools to offer a summer programme for students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
The total funding made available to provide a summer programme this year is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for 2020. The programme was developed following engagement with education stakeholders, parent and disability advocacy groups.
The programme’s aims were to support pupils to maintain their connection with education, build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote wellbeing and help to ensure that those at key transition stages could continue their education journey in September. either in school or in further/higher education or training.
The programmes on offer this summer included a new 2-3 week summer programme available to all primary schools and an expansion of the existing programmes in special schools and classes and in DEIS schools. This range of programmes offered built on the success of the expanded programmes that ran in 2020 and incorporated feedback from education stakeholders as to how to better support the programme for all involved in 2021.
An online registration portal for schools for the summer programmes opened on 20 May and closed on 25 June. Schools had the flexibility to run their summer programme at any stage during the summer holidays. Registrations of interest in the programmes were received in respect of an estimated 34,000 students.
A home-based summer programme was available for students with complex special educational needs where a place on a school-based programme was not available. Under this strand, parents engaged the services of a teacher or SNA in a private arrangement which the Department then funds. Parents could use the hours over four weeks of the summer holidays. The closing date for receipt of completed forms for the home-based programme was 03 September 2021.
Claims from schools and parents are currently being processed. Final figures on participation will be available once all claims have been processed.
School Enrolments
Questions (131)
Cathal Crowe
Question:131. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if the current and projected enrolment at a school (details supplied) will be urgently examined; and the way that accommodation can be suitably provided to meet the needs of the school. [45579/21]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question.
Officials from my Department have corresponded with the school authority and on receipt of their response the application will be progressed and the decision will issue to the school authority directly.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.
State Examinations
Questions (132)
Alan Farrell
Question:132. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education the measures that are being considered to overhaul the leaving certificate system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45431/21]
View answerWritten answers
Between 2016 and 2020, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) undertook an extensive review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways, to include Transition Year, the Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Established.
The review involved a very broad range of research, consultations and communications with a wide range of stakeholders, on all aspects of review and redevelopment over a number of phases over the period of the review. The NCCA also commissioned external expertise to support the process, including the ESRI and the OECD.
The Advisory Report, maps out, in broad terms, an ambitious programme of work, which would enable the development and construction of the components that would make up a Framework for Senior Cycle and will involve further ongoing stakeholder engagement and consultation.
The NCCA’s Senior Cycle Review: Advisory Report has been submitted to my Department for consideration and will be published in the coming weeks.
My department is also aware of the significant impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our education system over the past two years, including its impact on students who were due to take their Leaving Certificate examinations in those years. The systems of Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades and SEC-Accredited Grades which operated for Leaving Certificate 2020 and 2021 respectively were introduced to assist candidates in those years to progress on their journey to further or higher education, to apprenticeships or to the world of work. I expect that the lessons to be learnt from the pandemic will be considered and where appropriate, will assist in informing the redevelopment of Senior Cycle.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (133)
Holly Cairns
Question:133. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to address the shortage of special needs assistants for schools (details supplied). [45591/21]
View answerWritten answers
I understand the Deputy is referring to applications for additional SNA support for the named schools.
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year:
- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically rollover into the 2021/22 school year.
- No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way.
- Priority consideration will now be given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year, in particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised. Determinations will be made before 30 June. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.
- As in previous years, where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/for-schools
The NCSE have published the SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie.
SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
Circular 0029/2021 has been published and advises schools of the arrangements for the allocation of SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.
Provisions set out in Circular 0030/2020 has been extended for the 2021/22 school year.
Circulars 29/2021 and 30/2020 are available on the Departments website.
My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations and accordingly your question will be forwarded to the NCSE for direct response.
Education Policy
Questions (134)
Denis Naughten
Question:134. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to improve literacy and numeracy within the education system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45177/21]
View answerWritten answers
The National Strategy: Literacy & Numeracy for Learning and life 2011-2020 and Interim Review 2017 sets out a clear vision for raising standards of teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy for all learners including those with additional needs in our early years, primary and post-primary schools. The strategy has resulted in reforms in initial teacher education, dedicated support for professional learning and curriculum reform. The interim review identified areas for particular focus for the remainder of the strategy to include a set of discrete targets for DEIS schools focussed on reducing the literacy and numeracy achievement gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools.
My Department has continued to keep literacy and numeracy as a high priority during the period of 2019-2020. Supports have been put in place to include a series of literacy and Numeracy research reports and resources and an innovative programme Covid Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) which affords schools the flexibility to implement additional specific educational supports for learners during the current academic year.
My Department’s support services PDST and JCT continue to provide a comprehensive suite of supports to teachers in relation to literacy and numeracy with Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery, Languages and Literacy and Numeracy continuing to be part of the priority supports for teachers at both primary and post-primary levels.
Development of a new Literacy and Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy, is underway. The strategy will be informed by robust research to include consideration of national and international practice, stakeholder engagement and public consultation.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Questions (135)
Sorca Clarke
Question:135. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education her plans to reduce the average class size for primary schools considering the growing population and the extra demands on space due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45588/21]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.
As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the number of pupils needed to retain a teacher. For the 2021/22 school year the staffing schedule is on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. This is the lowest pupil teacher ratio ever at primary school.
The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio shows an improved ratio of teachers to pupils from 16:1 to 14.5:1 at primary level when comparing the 2015/16 school year to the 2020/21 school year. This compares favourably with the OECD pupil teacher ratio which is 1:15. Average class sizes improved from 24.9 to 23.3 in the same period. The most recent budget announcement will continue the positive trend of improving class sizes for this school year, and statistics on this will be published later in the year. Enrolments are projected to fall over the coming years before stabilising and rising marginally in the next decade.
Any further improvement will have to be considered in the context of the annual budgetary process.
School Staff
Questions (136)
Paul McAuliffe
Question:136. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education the measures and proposals her Department has taken or plans taking to regularise pay, conditions and the pensions of school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45451/21]
View answerWritten answers
School secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.
The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period.
Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim and officials from the Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. On the 27th of October 2020, under the auspices of the WRC, an understanding was agreed on a pathway to progress the issues. Several key strands have been identified, and a phased approach is being taken to the development of proposals.
Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1st September 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The assimilation of School Secretaries to the CO Grade III pay scale will require further dialogue between the parties and an intensive engagement will take place of over the next two/three weeks to allow this to be finalised.
My Department has also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave and maternity provisions for this cohort of staff. This will take place via direct engagement with the unions in the coming weeks in addition to engagement on other elements of the claim and subject to all elements being agreed.
While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.
I welcome the deferral of the action scheduled for Wednesday 15th September to allow for intensive talks to resume aimed at resolving the claim and agreeing a final package and I look forward to further progress being advanced.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Questions (137)
James O'Connor
Question:137. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education her plans to reduce pupil teacher ratios in primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45674/21]
View answerWritten answers
Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment on the previous 30 September. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
At primary level, the annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to schools. Budget 2021 implemented a further 1 point reduction for the 2021/22 school year so that primary schools will be allocated teaching posts on an average basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils which has brought the teacher allocation ratio in all primary schools to the lowest ever seen at primary level. In addition, there has been a three point reduction in the retention schedule, which will assist schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. Lower thresholds apply to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools.
At post primary level, teachers are currently allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. Each 1 point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio at post primary level would result in an additional 1150 teaching posts at an estimated cost of approx. €56.5m per annum.
As part of COVID-19 operational supports ,1,000 additional teachers have been allocated to post-primary schools to help reduce class sizes. A teacher allocation equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.6 has been allocated to schools in the free scheme. This allocation supports the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary. These posts will also provide for management supports. In addition an allocation, equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.1 has been provided in respect of Guidance provision to support student wellbeing.
Any further improvement will have to be considered in the context of the annual budgetary process.
Disadvantaged Status
Questions (138)
James O'Connor
Question:138. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the supports under the DEIS programme for the 2021-2022 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45675/21]
View answerWritten answers
DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level.
In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme serving over 186,000 pupils - 687 Primary and 197 Post Primary.
The full list of supports available under the DEIS Programme for the 2021/22 school year are available on Gov.ie at the following link www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/4018ea-deis-delivering-equality-of-opportunity-in-schools/
In addition I recently announced that a COVID Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) has been put in place for the 2021/22 school year to help all schools mitigate the adverse impacts of Covid-19 on pupil/student learning loss and wellbeing arising from the periods of school closures in 2020 and 2021.
Under the programme, a block of additional teaching hours is being provided to each recognised school, from which schools can provide additional teaching support for the pupils/students who have experienced difficulties in settling back into school and engaging with learning.
The allocations of additional teaching hours are provided on a graduated and proportionate basis, based on school size, using the 2020/21 school enrolments data, as published on the Primary and Post Primary Online Databases (PPOD).
Enhanced allocations are also being provided for special schools and schools participating in the DEIS Programme. Schools may use the additional allocation of teaching hours in accordance with the needs of their students. This will enable schools to identify students most at risk of learning loss arising from the recent disrupted school experience and put in place specific targeted teaching supports to meet these students’ needs. The additional hours can be utilized by schools from October of this year, to the end of the 2021/22 school year.
Full detail of the programme is set out in Department circular 045/2021 which is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/aec0a-covid-learning-and-support-scheme/.
School Transport
Questions (139)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:139. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if there is a timeline in place for when the steering group reviewing the school transport scheme will publish its recommendations; if she expects to have these recommendations in place for the 2022-2023 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45217/21]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and who have applied and paid on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. This arrangement is in place for current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and are offered seats where capacity exists after all eligible children have been catered for.
My Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in Februrary 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.
Following commencement of this review the Steering Group recently presented me with an initial interim report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, I approved the extension of temporary alleviation measures for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme 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 by the end of Q1 in 2022 on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
School Transport
Questions (140)
Imelda Munster
Question:140. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Education the reason parents who are medical card holders have been told that their children are not eligible to travel to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45626/21]
View answerWritten 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 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 the 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 school/education centre as determined by my 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 will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible, but who apply for school transport, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child’s home to the relevant school and Bus Éireann has confirmed that this may affect eligibility for certain families in the area referred to by the Deputy. If the Deputy has queries in regard to a specific family or families School Transport will advise on an individual basis.