The 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 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed are encouraged to apply on-line before the closing date to Bus Éireann on Bus Éireann’s website at www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme and subject to the following conditions:
• an application is made by the deadline date
• there is an existing service in place
• there is spare capacity on the service;
• routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis
Any remaining seats left after eligible children are accommodated will be allocated to concessionary children. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann will determine the allocation of the tickets using an agreed selection process.
In cases where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance that children reside from their next nearest school having regard to ethos and language. To establish that the nearest school is full parents/guardians must provide certain documentary evidence including confirmation that an application for enrolment in the nearest school was made within the deadline dates specified by the school and confirmation from the school authorities that the school was full. Individual queries in respect of this matter may be addressed to School Transport Section of my Department at school_transport@education.gov.ie.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
The Bus Éireann family portal is now open for new applications only for school transport services for the 2023/24 school year. New applications are considered as:
• Pupils who will be attending junior infants in primary school or first year in post-primary school for the first time in 2023.
• Pupils that may move home address or will be attending a new school for the 2023/24 school year.
The closing date for new applications is Friday 28 April 2023. Any new applications made after the closing date are considered late applications and families are not guaranteed a seat.
Parents do not need to make a new application if they have already applied in previous year(s) as their child’s application will ‘rollover’ for the 2023/24 school year. All existing and new applicants are required to pay/enter medical card details by the closing date Friday 9th June 2023.
The Bus Éireann family portal is open to accept payments/medical card details from the 3 April 2023 until 9 June 2023. Payment made after the deadline date will be deemed late and a seat may not be available to families at that stage.
