Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 November 2023
214. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 190 of 19 October 2023, if she will provide a status update on the contract for a special education bus; and if she will provide a timeline as to when she expects it to be operational. [49124/23]
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.
A pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if they are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education criteria.
As previously advised to the Deputy, the pupil in question is eligible under the terms of the scheme and a sanction has been sent by School Transport Section of my Department to Bus Éireann for the establishment of a new service for pupils to the school referred to by the Deputy.
Bus Éireann have confirmed that the service in question has been tendered in line with procurement guidelines and are actively seeking a contractor to operate this service, once a contractor has been sourced, the service will commence.
Bus Éireann will liaise with the family directly when a service has been sourced.
As previously advised, the family in question have been contacted directly by School Transport Section of my Department, with an offer of the Special Transport Grant until the transport service commences.
