Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
388. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if there is a grant to support parents in cases in which students have been refused school transport as in the case of students (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47712/21]
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 Post-Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time were accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2021/22 school year. 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 apply for school transport but who are not eligible are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children had been facilitated; these are referred to as concessionary seats.
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.
Bus Éireann has advised that there are a total of 7 services operating to the school referred to by the Deputy. All services are currently operating at capacity and there were a total of 103 eligible and 9 concessionary tickets issued across all services.
As services were at full capacity after the deadline date for payment, families who paid late could not be facilitated on these services. Bus Éireann have advised that a total 28 pupils (16 eligible & 12 concessionary) who did not pay by the deadline have not received tickets.
A child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application/payment for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. Therefore, payment of a grant in this instance cannot be considered.
