Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
462. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education if temporary transport can be arranged for a school (details supplied) to bring pupils to and from school to their PE and sports activities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36311/23]
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.
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 €338.9 million.
The purpose of my 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.
Children are eligible for school transport where they satisfy the distance criterion and are attending their nearest national school or post primary education centre, having regard to ethos and language.
In accordance with the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, school transport services operate during the standard school year and facilitate a child's attendance during normal school opening and closing times.
Provision of transport for extra-curricular activities does not come under the remit of the scheme and is a matter for the school at a local level.
