Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
628. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if the oversubscription of schools, in particular second-level schools, resulting in children attending a school which is not geographically the closest to their home will be taken into consideration by her Department when deciding a student's eligibility for the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1384/24]
View answerThe 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 travelling 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.
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, 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. Any children 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.
Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post-primary level are continued for the current school year. Under these measures, transport will be provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
In cases where the Department is satisfied that the nearest/next nearest schools are full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance the pupil resides from the next nearest school having regard to ethos and language.
To establish that the nearest schools are full parents must provide evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the schools and a letter from the relevant School Authorities confirming that the schools were full. This documentation can be sent to the School Transport Section of the Department for consideration.
