Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
177. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education the reason a pupil (details supplied) was instructed to change bus for their school transport, given there is sufficient capacity on the bus they had been using; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47415/22]
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.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
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.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy cannot be accommodated on the service mentioned as the service is operating to capacity.
In some instances at the beginning of the school year some families may prefer to drop or collect their children from school for a period of time. This may continue on odd days throughout the school year too, based on the family circumstances.
It is recognised that all pupils issued with tickets will not travel every morning and every evening. In addition, certain after school activities may also result in pupils not travelling on certain days.
Bus Éireann organises for vehicles to be full to capacity with tickets based on applications received and based on the seating capacity of the vehicle. It is not feasible to issue additional tickets over and above the seating capacity of the vehicle which could result in a potential overload situation arising and all pupils not being carried on the service.
However, Bus Éireann has also advised that the child referred was successful in obtaining a seat on board another school transport service to the school they are attending within the distance guidelines for drop off and pick up points.
