Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020
468. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education if a review of the school transport scheme will be carried out for students attending a school (details supplied) and for those that have been awarded concessionary tickets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25243/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 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.
The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020. All children who are eligible for school transport and who applied and paid by the deadline have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Bus Éireann have advised that there are 9 services which serve the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2020/2021 school year. In total 263 eligible students and 29 concessionary students have been issued with tickets on these services. There were 4 eligible students who did not pay on time and were unsuccessful in obtaining a ticket for a service, 3 concessionary students who paid on time were also unsuccessful in obtaining a ticket for a service and 3 concessionary students who did not pay on time and were unsuccessful in obtaining a ticket for a service.
Updated health advice was received from NPHET on the 18th August, which impacts on the operation of post-primary school transport services. This advice stated that for secondary school students on school transport, strict distancing should be ensured in line with that on public transport along with the wearing of face coverings.
My Department is engaging with Bus Éireann in respect of these plans, to implement measures so that any services that can operate from the start of the school year at 50% capacity will do so and over the coming period all other post-primary transport services will be re-organised and additional services will be provided as required to allow for physical distancing. Following implementation of physical distancing on current services further tickets will be only be issued to applicants where there is spare capacity once 50% physical distancing is achieved on services.
In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.
