Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 July 2018
267. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) will be allowed to travel in transport provided for their sibling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30790/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 116,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.
Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers. Applications for transport provision, under the terms of this scheme, should only be completed in circumstances where children are not in a position to avail of standard school transport services.
The Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for children with special educational needs. This is reflected in the standard of dedicated service provided and the fact that these services are generally planned and timetabled to operate on a door-to-door basis.
In certain cases, the Department also provides funding to schools for the employment of escorts to accompany children whose care and safety needs require this level of support while they travel to and from school.
Bus Éireann is currently processing applications for school transport services for the 2018/19 school year and has advised that an application for school transport has not been made for the child referred to by the Deputy.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
