Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 September 2022
322. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of special school transport applications that have been received for the forthcoming school year by county; the number approved; the number denied; the number approved but yet to commence; and the general reason for same in tabular form. [44763/22]
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, 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.
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. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.
To date, over 4,000 applications for transport for children with special educational needs have been received in the Department and submitted to Bus Éireann for the 2022/23 school year. As these applications are received throughout the year, this number will change throughout the 2022/23 school year.
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format required, as Bus Éireann are continuing to process applications and to provide transport for pupils as soon as services and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for pupils in question.
