Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2023
112. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education if primary school bus escorts will be provided with a pay increase under the recent pay agreement; if not, when they will receive a pay increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34493/23]
View answer113. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education how many primary school bus escorts are currently paid for under grant funding. [34494/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.
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 an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the current 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Building Momentum – a new public service agreement, 2021-2022" was agreed between Government and Unions in 2020 and was extended last year to run until 31 December this year. The agreement provides for a number of pay increases over the period of the agreement.
These pay increases apply to public servants, subject to compliance with sectoral action plans and industrial peace provisions of the agreement. The increase does not automatically apply beyond public servants and therefore grant funded school staff such as bus escorts employed directly by schools are not comprehended by the agreement.
The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive funding to recruit bus escorts for the school transport scheme and specific responsibility for the terms and conditions rests with the school.
The School Transport Section in the Department review the rate of pay for school bus escorts, and will continue to keep the rates under review.
