Seán Sherlock
Question:274. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she will address the case of a person (details supplied). [41464/23]
View answerTuesday, 26 September 2023
Questions (274)
Written answers
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
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 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% 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.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO. I am pleased to advised that the child referred to by the Deputy has been deemed eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme.
Bus Eireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is sanctioned on a new service and this service is currently in the procurement process. Bus Éireann continues to work intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible.
The Department will sanction a Special Transport Grant to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements for the duration that the child referred has not been accommodated on a school transport service. School Transport Section of my Department will liaise with the family referred in this regard.