Aodhán Ó Ríordáin
Question:55. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will address the delay in providing a school bus for the pupils attending the ASD unit at a school (details supplied). [49827/22]
View answerTuesday, 11 October 2022
Questions (55)
Written answers
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. In the 2021/2022school 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. The cost of the scheme in 2021 was €289m.
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. Already over 125,000 tickets for the 2022/2023 school year have been issued to mainstream applicants for the new school year.
Already for the new school year 2022/2023, over 17,400 children are availing of transport under the Special Educational Needs Scheme. This is an increase of 22% on the 2021/2022 school year.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the NCSE’s Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
I am pleased to advise that the pupils referred to by the Deputy are eligible under the terms of the scheme and a sanction has been sent by the School Transport Section of my Department to Bus Éireann for the establishment of a new service for pupils to the school referred to by the Deputy.?
Bus Éireann have tendered this service in line with procurement guidelines and are in the process of allocating a contractor to operate this service. Once a contractor has been sourced, the service will commence.? Bus Éireann will liaise with the families directly with regard to this matter at that stage.
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, but who experience a delay with accessing them, may therefore apply for the Special Transport Grant. This is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. Families should contact the Department’s School Transport Section at: school_transport@education.gov.ie for more information on this grant.
Questions Nos. 56 to 60, inclusive, answered orally.