Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 May 2020
263. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when school transport provisions in existence up to September 2019 will be restored to children in Rathcoffey and Donadea, County Kildare, in line with the requirements set out by the parents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4945/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department.
In the current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
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. In general children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
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 Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.
Services operating for the 2020/21 school year will be determined by the number of children who apply and are deemed eligible for school transport.
