Marian Harkin
Question:59. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm the retention of a school transport route in Sligo for the 2023-24 school year (details supplied) [22530/23]
View answerTuesday, 16 May 2023
Questions (59)
Oral answers (7 contributions)
I ask the Minister to confirm the retention of a school transport route in Sligo from McCann's cross, which is halfway between Coolaney and Tubbercurry, stopping at Lavagh church and on to St. Attracta's Community School in Tubbercurry. There is a second bus on the route, which is a new service that started last November. There is real anxiety and uncertainty among parents and students and they are desperately asking for its retention.
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 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. There has been an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and 38% tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the current school year compared with the 2021-22 school year. In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 5,200 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9 million.
The school transport scheme is an important service for families and children. The purpose of the scheme, having regard to available resources, is to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. A review of the school transport scheme is under way. 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. Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents, guardians and students who use the service. A broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Departments were all consulted as part of this review.
Phase one 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. This report was completed in June 2021. For the 2023-24 school year, it remains the case that children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post-primary school or education centre.
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, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the 2023-24 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.
I have heard what the Minister has said and acknowledge the progress that has been made but I am none the wiser in terms of the answer to my specific question. Parents were very grateful that a second bus was provided last year. It is a 50-seater bus and is almost always full, which indicates that there is a huge need. However, word has filtered through that the second bus may not continue and that has massive implications for families. One school actually contacted the school transport service and the reply it received was that no decision has been made but that it is most unlikely that there will be a bus available for children next September.
I can tell the Minister I have got more emails on this than nearly any other issue in education that I have dealt with. One parent said to me, "I am hoping my boss will accommodate my late arrival at work and quick exit for collection." Another parent tells me she has stage 4 cancer, this bus was a lifesaver as she is up and down to Dublin. If it does not continue she is in crisis. I have a long list, which I will not go through, of similar stories. Parents are really anxious about this.
I thank the Deputy and I appreciate the point she makes. I absolutely appreciate the importance of the school transport system for a whole variety of reasons for different people at different times, as the Deputy articulated. Specifically in respect of the topic, Bus Éireann will be reviewing applications and planning routes during the summer months for the upcoming year. It is important to acknowledge that the system is presently in train. The closing date for new applications for the 2023-24 school year was Friday, 28 April. The closing date for payment or entering medical details for tickets for the 2023-24 school year is Friday, 9 June. All detail will be in by Friday, 9 June. It is only after this time that Bus Éireann will know how many applications have been received and paid for, what bus size and how many bus places are required. At that point, services will be planned for the upcoming school year. I also want to say that pending completion of the review, there will be no removal or downsizing of buses or routes for the 2023-24 school year.
Perhaps the Minister will clarify in her final response but from what I have heard, she has said there will be no diminution and no removal of services that are currently in place for the next year. If that is the case, I am absolutely delighted. I could sit down and the Minister could get on to the next question. I will wait for her confirmation. Earlier I spoke about how this impacts parents but it impacts students massively. Imagine if a student had to change school, classes, teachers, lose their friends, or lose their place on a school team. If a student who had done fifth year had to go to another school, different parts of the curriculum might have been completed. It would have a deeply negative impact on their education process. Many families are just not in a position to cease working in order to bring their children to school. Between parents and students, it is absolutely essential that this route is maintained. If the Minister just says yes to me in her response, I will be more than happy.
On the same question, as previous speakers said, school transport is of the utmost importance. I have had several calls from older Carlow people who have told me they are not allowed to drive a school bus because they have turned 70. Bus Éireann operates the school bus transport scheme. There were massive issues which will be repeated this year if we do not have enough drivers. The Department told me the age limit has been examined and that there are no plans to extend it. I feel this is unfair. I know many drivers in Carlow, which is my constituency, feel particularly aggrieved about this. If there are to be more schoolchildren needing places, we must look at providing the buses. Several men and women have come to me who are 70 and in the full of their health. They do not mind having to go for medicals, eye tests, or do whatever they need to do; it is not an issue. This does not seem to be changing. Is there anything that can be done on this?
On the cut-off point of 70 years of age, that is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. It is my understanding that Bus Éireann says it keeps it consistently under review. Specifically in terms of the wider appreciation of school transport and its importance, we have been very cognisant of that. Where we had the capacity last year there were no fees being requested. Now the fees have been reduced to €50 for primary and €75 for post-primary for the year's travel with a cap of €125 for the family. Specifically in respect of what Deputy Harkin raised, I want to be clear that in terms of having the fullest data available, the application was 28 April and all data in terms of medical details for tickets or whether people are in a position to pay will not be available to Bus Éireann until Friday, 9 June. I am going to be clear to the Deputy. We have given a commitment that until the review is completed, there will be no removal or downsizing of buses or routes for the 2023-24 school year. What happens afterwards, pending the review, happens after.
Question No. 60 taken with Written Answers.