Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2022
348. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education when a student (details supplied) in County Cork who is approved under the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs will be provided with transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45822/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. 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.
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 through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy in this case was previously sanctioned a new school transport service for children with special educational needs along with two other pupils on 28/06/2022.
Bus Éireann have tendered this service in line with procurement guidelines and no bids have been received from contractors to operate this service. Bus Éireann are still in the process of trying to allocate a contractor to operate this service, once a contractor has been sourced, the service will commence.
Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore apply for the Special Transport Grant which is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. Families should contact School Transport Section at: school_transport@education.gov.ie for more information on this grant.
