School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022

Tuesday, 26 July 2022

Questions (1128)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

1128. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the total number of primary and post-primary students per county who availed of the school transport scheme in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022; the cost of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41191/22]

Written answers

Minister for Education

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.

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

The total cost for providing transport in 2018 was €200m, in 2019 was €219m, in 2020 the cost was €224.7m and €289m in 2021. The cost includes the provision of mainstream and special educational needs transport, school bus escorts where required, remote area grants and special transport grants where applicable.

Bus Éireann have provided the following information as requested by the Deputy. The data requested that refers to the total number of students availing of transport for the 2022/2023 school year can not yet be provided as the closing date for applications has not yet passed.

Total number of tickets issued - mainstream

2018/2019 2019/2020 2020/2021 2021/2022

County	Primary	Post-primary	Primary	Post-primary	Primary	Post-primary	Primary	Post-primary
Carlow	816	1254	785	1334	774	1282	790	1398
Cavan	1558	1834	1516	1879	1395	1713	1424	1964
Clare	908	2144	912	2211	862	2114	910	2317
Cork	4914	8741	4989	9125	4760	8788	4850	9607
Donegal	3407	5692	3285	5674	3068	5359	3213	5868
Dublin	1183	751	1304	803	1222	822	1290	942
Galway	2516	5800	2477	5979	2285	5585	2476	6349
Kerry	1845	3124	1822	3210	1696	3047	1685	3346
Kildare	2036	2867	2014	2981	1778	2807	1754	2955
Kilkenny	1849	1699	1843	1712	1765	1675	1784	1864
Laois	410	971	414	1051	372	981	404	1056
Leitrim	913	1084	877	1136	803	1005	788	1110
Limerick	1131	3398	1155	3456	988	3171	1004	3527
Longford	681	1452	650	1466	541	1311	545	1465
Louth	874	2087	904	2239	844	2180	832	2510
Mayo	1531	3224	1527	3225	1400	2876	1420	3154
Meath	1889	2668	1908	2766	1819	2612	1854	2751
Monaghan	1260	2098	1289	2117	1159	1959	1153	2210
Offaly	828	1798	792	1894	720	1720	710	1814
Roscommon	800	771	816	809	774	678	789	759
Sligo	868	1180	827	1185	774	1053	797	1181
Tipperary	1749	3152	1716	3199	1625	2842	1663	3295
Waterford	894	1467	915	1601	847	1577	874	1746
Westmeath	893	1669	882	1694	806	1535	815	1702
Wexford	1930	3666	1906	3850	1746	3713	1751	4103
Wicklow	1255	1976	1253	2072	1165	1981	1153	2102
Total	38938	66567	38778	68668	35988	64386	36728	71095