Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 September 2023
282. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education when tickets for school transport will issue to a child (details supplied) who has no other means of getting to school, and who applied and paid for their annual school bus tickets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41505/23]
View answerThe 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.
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 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 pupil to who the Deputy refers is eligible for transport.
Bus Éireann has advised that a late application for school transport was submitted by this family in respect of the 2023/24 school year and the Bus Éireann Local Office is currently working though these applications.
Bus Éireann has also confirmed that an update will be provided directly to the family in due course.
