Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
376. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) will miss school next week due to a lack of transport and that a parent has had to take time off work to provide transport for the child. [47506/21]
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 the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.
In general, children with special educational needs are eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest school that is resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
A new application for transport for the pupil referred to by the Deputy was received on 23/09/21. This application is being processed and the family of the pupil has been contacted by Bus Éireann in this regard.
