Holly Cairns
Question:308. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the way in which she is encouraging active travel to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17397/22]
View answerThursday, 31 March 2022
Questions (308)
Written answers
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021.
The purpose of the 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.
Safe Routes to School is an initiative of the Department of Transport and supported by the Department of Education. It is operated by the An Taisce Green-Schools Programme in partnership with the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the local authorities.
As the Deputy is aware, my Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme and how it currently operates, its broader effectiveness and sustainability and that it adequately supports the provision of services to students and their families.
The review encompasses the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs and the Primary and Post-Primary School Transport Schemes in terms of how each element of the schemes currently operate, to include eligibility criteria, trends, costs and cost drivers, and overall effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the schemes.
The review will also examine the potential for integration of different strands of the scheme and a more co-ordinated approach with other Government Departments that also use transport services. The review will consider issues such as climate action, supporting rural development and promoting where possible initiatives that encourage walking and cycling to school.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is currently underway. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.