Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2022
268. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if she will publish the full communications between her Department and Bus Éireann on the Government’s plans and announcement of the free school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44451/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were 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.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the 2022/2023 school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
School Transport ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Department officials engage with Bus Éireann staff on a daily basis with regard to the operation of the School Transport Scheme. In addition, quarterly strategic, and monthly operational meetings are held throughout the year.
Officials also hold regular meetings as the need arises which include but is not limited to: planning for additional school transport places, the management of transport provision for children arriving from Ukraine, and the implications that increasing fuel costs may have on the provision of school transport services.
Discussions were held in the days leading up to the announcement, between Department and Bus Éireann officials on costing various possible options in relation to relieving school transport costs for parents as part of a potential wider package of cost of living measures. Final confirmation of the decision to fully waive fees as a temporary cost of living relief measure was conveyed to Bus Eireann by the Department, following consultation and agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Already over 124,000 tickets for the 2022/2023 school year have been issued to applicants which is a substantial increase on children using mainstream school transport services last year.
Bus Éireann will continue to process applications and to issue tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service.
With regard to the waiving of school transport fees for the 2022/2023 school year, on 26th July 2022 I submitted a memo to Cabinet asking Government to agree to the following:
- In light of the increasing cost of living and with a view to easing the financial burden on families, that as part of a set of initiatives to assist families with Back to School costs, students availing of the school transport scheme will not be charged fees for the academic year 2022/23. This is a temporary measure for the current year only.
- Pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, that Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level be continued for the 2022/2023 school year.
On 27th July 2022 a Government Decision issued, agreeing to these proposals.
