Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022
561. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if he will provide details of the school transport provisions that are in place for children clinically diagnosed with autism in County Mayo; if school transport capacity has been improved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37773/22]
View answerSchool 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. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.
Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
Bus Éireann have advised that 68 school transport services for children with special educational needs operate in County Mayo, carrying 314 pupils to their school of attendance. All 314 pupils have a home address in County Mayo.
In addition, 25 families avail of a special transport grant to assist in transporting their children who have been deemed eligible for school transport under the above scheme, to school in County Mayo.
It is not possible to provide the diagnosis of the children on these services but all children have been deemed eligible for transport under the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs.
