Niamh Smyth
Question:823. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will review correspondence in relation to school transport (details supplied) and provide an update on the matter. [18988/25]
View answerTuesday, 29 April 2025
Questions (823)
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 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 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.
Under the current terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.
Eligible children who complete the application process and pay or enter their medical card details on time will get a seat on a school bus service, if a service is available.
Children who are not eligible for school transport but complete the application and pay or enter their medical card details on time will be considered for any spare seats available after eligible children have been accommodated. These spare seats are called concessionary seats.
There may be more demand than availability for concessionary seats. In such cases, Bus Éireann will use a selection process to allocate tickets for the spare seats.
The Bus Éireann family portal is now open for new applications for school transport services for the 2025/26 school year. The closing date for new applications is Friday 25 April 2025.
The Bus Éireann family portal is now also accepting payments or medical card details until 6 June 2025. Payments or medical card details submitted after the deadline date will be deemed late. A late submission of payment or medical card details may mean that a seat is not available.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to is not eligible for school transport as they are attending their second nearest national school.
Following the closing date for payment or entering medical card details, the Bus Éireann family portal will close. This will give Bus Éireann time to assess all applications and plan for routes and services for the 2025/26 school year. Routes may be altered or extended depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.
Once routes have been finalised, Bus Éireann will assign tickets for each school transport service. Tickets will begin to issue in mid-July and will continue to issue throughout July and August. Families who are unsuccessful in obtaining a seat will be notified via email and a refund will issue.