Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
550. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will seek or support calls for additional school bus places to cater for all secondary school children travelling from Collon to Ardee, County Louth for the forthcoming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15337/24]
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 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.
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.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
The closing date for new applications for the 2024/2025 school year is Friday 26th April 2024. The closing date for payment/entering medical details for tickets for the 2024/2025 school year is Friday 7th June 2024.
All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and there is capacity to do so.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Due to 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.
Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.
Routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.
Temporary Alleviation Measures are in place for the 2024/2025 school year, these measures mean that transport will be provided where such services are in operation and there is capacity to do so, for concessionary post-primary students who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and, who applied for school transport by the 26th of April 2024 and pay for a ticket/enter medical card details by the 7th June 2024.
In cases where the Department is satisfied that your nearest/next nearest schools are full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance you reside from your next nearest school having regard to ethos and language.
If families have applied to attend their nearest school in regards to ethos and language and have been advised by the school authorities that it is full, my Department will consider if students can be deemed eligible for transport to the next nearest school.
To establish that the nearest school is full parents must provide:-
• The steps taken to enrol their child in the nearest and next nearest schools
• Evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school and
• A letter from the School Authorities confirming that the school was full at the time of enrolment.
These families can submit details to the School Transport Section in the Department of Education at school_transport@education.gov.ie.
