Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
401. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education the reason the school bus service in the Jerpoint, Thomastown, County Kilkenny has been discontinued without notice to parents (details supplied). [24741/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department.
In the 2019/2020 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were 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.
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme primary children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Post primary children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Officials in School Transport Section of my Department have requested a report from Bus Éireann in regard to the specific matter raised by the Deputy and will reply to the Deputy directly when this information is available.
