Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 September 2023
166. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education to review a case (details supplied); to provide advice for any funding that could help in this particular situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40843/23]
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 was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 133,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 7% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
As part of the scheme, transport is provided to and from school only for children who reside remote from their nearest primary and post-primary school and children with special educational needs.
School transport is not provided to children for activities outside the terms of the scheme. Commercial contractors who provide transport for schools on a private hire or commercial basis but who are not contracted by Bus Éireann to operate on the Department’s School Transport Scheme do not fall under the remit of the Department of Education.
The school transport scheme during normal school opening and closing times.
The request referred to by the Deputy is outside of the remit of the School Transport Schemes.
