Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 May 2023
179. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if her Department can guarantee definitively the additional school bus that is so desperately needed in North Kildare vis-à-vis children trying to get to school in the Rathcoffey-Maynooth environs, such need being the source of many Parliamentary Questions and much correspondence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22230/23]
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 149,000 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 5,000 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
The purpose of the 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.
A review of the School Transport Scheme commenced in February 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.
Phase 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.
Following consideration of this report, for the 2021/2022 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time. These measures have been continued for the current 2022/2023 school year, and will again continue in the 2023/2024 school year pending completion of the review.
For the 2023/2024 school year, these measures mean that transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and, who applied for school transport by the 28th April 2023 and pay for a ticket/enter medical card details by the 9th June 2023.
Phase two of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase three which is well underway.
For the 2023/2024 school year, it remains that 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.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
In addition, as mentioned above, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the 2023/2024 school year, pending completion of the review.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
The Department has received numerous correspondence in relation to school transport in the North Kildare area from families who have not received tickets for the current school year (2022/2023) as they are not eligible for transport under the terms of the School Transport Scheme.
If families have applied to attend their nearest school in regards to ethos and language and have been advised by the school authorities that it is full, my Department will consider if students can be deemed eligible for transport to the next nearest school.
To establish that the nearest school is full parents must provide:
• The steps taken to enrol their child in the nearest and next nearest schools
• Evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school and
• A letter from the School Authorities confirming that the school was full at the time of enrolment.
These families can submit details to the School Transport Section in the Department of Education at school_transport@education.gov.ie. To date School Transport Section has not received the required documentation detailed above from any families in the area. In cases where the families are attending their third or fourth nearest school, the above documentation will be required for each school in turn. Families who require information in relation to the schools nearer to them can contact the School Transport Section at the above email address.
