Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 May 2023
188. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education if eligibility for school transport should be granted where a child wishes to attend a Catholic secondary school when their nearest school is non-denominational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22296/23]
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 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
The Post Primary School Transport Scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary education centre/school. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the post-primary school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest education centre/school, subject to limited exceptions.
For the purposes of school transport provision, ethos relates to the religious ethos of minority religion schools, while language relates to the Irish or English language. In practice this means that:
• Children who, for reasons of their religious ethos, choose to attend their nearest minority religion denominational school may be eligible for school transport to that school, even if it is not their nearest school.
• Children who choose to attend their nearest all-Irish school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.
• Children who choose to attend their nearest all-English school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.
Parents of a child wishing to avail of school transport services must apply to Bus Éireann. Application forms are available on-line at www.buseireann.ie or by contacting your Local Bus Éireann office. Please note that the closing date for school transport applications was 28th April 2023. All applications received after this date are considered late applications.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Under the terms of the scheme, 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.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
