Denise Mitchell
Question:574. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education for an update on the case of a child (details supplied) who was approved for school transport in July 2023. [57323/23]
View answerWednesday, 17 January 2024
Questions (574)
Written answers
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils traveling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
Under the terms of the Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to the Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.
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.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
There was a 30% increase in the number of special educational transport journeys from 2019 to the 2022/2023 school year, and over 1,400 new applications have been received since July alone for the 2023/2024 school year.
I am pleased to advise that the pupil referred to by the Deputy 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 pupil to the school referred to by the Deputy. An escort sanction has also been provided to the school.
The School Transport team in Bus Éireann continue to prioritise sourcing contractors/drivers arrangements This is against a backdrop of significant shortages of drivers in the labour market in transport sectors nationally. Families will be contacted directly once a contractor and vehicle have been sourced for this route.
Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs.
Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore apply for the interim Special Transport Grant which is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. The Family of the child referred have been contacted directly by School Transport Section of my Department, with an offer of the Special Transport Grant until the transport service commences.