Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 November 2023
481. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update with respect to a student (details supplied) in County Cork who is receiving school transport under the scheme for children with special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47746/23]
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.
Over 134,000 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. There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.
Under the current terms of the scheme, pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible. Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
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.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy was availing of a Special Educational Needs Transport service, however the contractor for this service has now retired. A Mainstream school transport application has been received for this pupil, and a Mainstream ticket has issued to the pupil.
If the family has any further queries they can contact Bus Éireann who has put in place a dedicated customer care call centre to assist families specifically with School Transport queries.
The dedicated School Transport Call Centre service (LoCall 0818 919 910) also offers a call back facility.
Operating hours are 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday
