Niall Collins
Question:1077. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to correspondence (details supplied) regarding a school bus place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40356/22]
View answerTuesday, 26 July 2022
Questions (1077)
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 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 school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and confirmation process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2022/23 school year.
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.
Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.
Due to the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random selection process.
Bus Eireann have confirmed that the pupil resides 5.9kms to his nearest post primary school in Croom, 15.5kms to Kilmallock post primary centre and 19.2kms to his school of attendance - John the Baptist CS, Hospital and is therefore not eligible for school transport. The pupil has been assigned to the requested pick up point which is 6.3 km from the pupils home and the pupil can avail of concessionary transport subject to the terms and conditions as outlined above.