Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2023
375. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education the reason a young child (details supplied) with special education needs cannot get a school escort even though their school transport has been sanctioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7388/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 4,200 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €332.2m.
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.
The National Council for Special Education 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 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 pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible under the terms of the scheme and a sanction has been issued by School Transport Section of my Department to Bus Éireann to accommodate the child on an individual service. Sanction has also been provided to the school management authorities to employ a school bus escort on board the school transport service.
While School Transport Section in my Department sanction funding for the employment of a school bus escort, the school management authority of the school the child is attending is the employer of the school bus escort. The school management authority employ the escort in accordance with the relevant employment legislation. Part of the recruitment process includes Garda vetting through the National Vetting Bureau.
Once a school bus escort has been sourced and vetting has been completed, the school authorities should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office to arrange for the escort to commence employment on the individual service.
