Niamh Smyth
Ceist:534. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if complaints (details supplied) about school transport in north County Cork will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36849/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 17 November 2020
Ceisteanna (534)
Freagraí scríofa
School 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 km at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year commenced operation on the 26th August 2020. All children who are eligible for transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/2021 school year where such services are in operation.
Based on the public health advice published in early July, and the updated advice received from the HPSC on 7th August and from NPHET on the 18th August, the Department has been planning for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, using 50 per cent of passenger capacity. The implementation of 50% capacity has been put in place where possible over the last number of weeks and over the coming weeks, Bus Éireann will be implementing 50% capacity on a rolling basis as soon as it is possible to do so on all remaining routes.
Government has agreed to provide the necessary funding to ensure that full implementation of the public health recommendation of running buses for post-primary children is achieved as quickly as possible on the post-primary scheme and on the special educational needs scheme for post-primary children. As the additional capacity is rolled out, where spare capacity is created, further tickets will be allocated to those children eligible for the scheme who have paid late and for other applicants seeking concessionary tickets.
Question No. 535 answered with Question No. 501.