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School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 October 2020

Wednesday, 14 October 2020

Ceisteanna (13)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

13. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that school transport provision is adequately provided for all children with disabilities. [22317/20]

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Freagraí scríofa

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children 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.

My Department is very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for children with special educational needs and this is reflected in the standard of service provided. In the 2019/2020 school year there were over 14,200 children on Special Educational Needs (SEN) school transport - an increase of 4,982 children since 2013. My Department funded the School Transport Scheme in 2019 in the amount of just over €219m, with 53% of this having been allocated to spend on the transport scheme for children with special educational needs.

The purpose of the SEN Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the scheme children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

Where practicable my Department will consider, the provision of specific or individual transport arrangements in circumstances where travel in the company of other children is not deemed feasible. In addition, there is a facility within the Special Needs Transport Scheme for the appointment of a School Bus Escort where a child’s care and safety needs while on school transport are such to require such support.

All eligible children are exempt from school transport charges and a Special Transport Grant (STG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided at the discretion of the Department in certain situations where for example the child’s care or medical needs are such as to make the provision of a transport service impracticable.

While the closing date for receipt of applications for school transport in general is the last Friday in April in any given year for the following school year, my Department accepts applications all year round for the SEN transport scheme.

I can assure the Deputy that I am satisfied that school transport provision is adequately provided for all children with disabilities.

Questions Nos. 14 to 16, inclusive, answered orally.
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