Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
226. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the reason a student (details supplied) did not receive a school bus ticket for the 2023/2024 academic year; if the Bus Éireann system had an issue with the capturing of eircodes, as suggested by the applicants mother; if so, when this issue was resolved; when they will be allocated a ticket for the 2023/2024 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44785/23]
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.
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 12% when compared with the start of the 2022/2023 school year. The number of tickets issued so far has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres 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 and have made the payment on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation, and capacity exists.
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 an agreed selection process.
The closing date for school transport applications for the 2023/24 school year was Friday, 28th April 2023 and the closing date for payment was Friday 9th June 2023.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport as they are attending their nearest school. While the application and payment was received on time the family did not provide their correct address on the Bus Éireann system. This resulted in the pupil’s eligibility being classed as a concessionary applicant and they were not successful in obtaining tickets in the selection process.
Subsequently the family resubmitted a new mainstream eligible application on 06/09/2023 and as this was a late application the pupil did not receive a bus ticket as the current service is full to capacity.
