Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 May 2017
45. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will implement measures to alleviate the difficulties that arose for many persons prior to the commencement of the 2016/2017 school year, with particular reference to the availability of concessionary tickets on school transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24673/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
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 terms of this Scheme in general children are eligible for transport where they meet the requisite distance and are attending their nearest school / education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
The school transport approach complements the overall Department policy which is to ensure that specific school accommodation needs for defined geographical areas are addressed in an orderly fashion.
The Programme for Government committed to a review of the concessionary charges and rules element of the School Transport Scheme. This review which was published in December 2016 made recommendations on both the charges and the rules element of concessionary school transport.
The report recommended that the number of concessionary places should be reduced in line with the rules introduced in 2012 on a phased basis. Previous plans to advance this option were put on hold, pending the completion of the review.
However upon consideration of the review and discussions at the Cross Party Working Group I decided that there should be no planned programme of downsizing in the coming years except in line with normal operational decisions within the current scheme.
