Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
480. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of children with an address in Mullingar that had an application submitted for school transport to a school (details supplied) for the 2023-2024 school year. [27168/23]
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 5,200 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.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random selection process.
Bus Éireann have confirmed that generally, pupils who reside in Mullingar, are not eligible for school transport to the school mentioned by the Deputy. Bus Éireann has further advised, there is currently no service from Mullingar to the school in question.
At present there are 17 applications which will be assessed for school transport by Bus Éireann following the payment closing date of 9 June 2023.
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. 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 in my Department at school_transport@education.gov.ie where officials in the section will be happy to assist.
