Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 April 2025
470. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education if any funding is available to primary schools to assist in acquiring a vehicle for use by patrons of an ASD class for trips and so on, where current funding does not cover such costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16631/25]
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 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes daily to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes over 143,800 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 21,700 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine.
The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.
The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.
The School Transport Schemes are intended to cater for children providing school transport from home/pick up point to school and from school to home/drop off point during normal school opening and closing times. The request detailed by the Deputy is not a feature of the schemes and is therefore outside of the Department of Education remit.
