Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 November 2023
217. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if the school transport scheme provides funding to schools to transport students to and from school sanctioned activities, including academic trips and if she can provide details on this scheme; how many schools avail of this; the budget allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49142/23]
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.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Children are eligible for school transport where they satisfy the distance criterion and are attending their nearest national school or post primary education centre, having regard to ethos and language.
In accordance with the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, school transport services operate during the standard school year and facilitate a child's attendance during normal school opening and closing times.
Provision of transport for extra-curricular activities as outlined by the Deputy is not a feature of the School Transport Scheme and is a matter for the school at a local level.
