Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
465. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the reasons behind the rejection and refusal of an application for the school bus service for a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36316/23]
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.
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/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
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, 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 has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not attending his nearest school and is therefore not eligible under the terms of the scheme.
However, I am pleased to advise there is capacity on the route referred to by the Deputy and Bus Éireann will be issuing a ticket to the pupil referred.
