Michael McNamara
Ceist:96. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if a school transport route could be reviewed for persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57757/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 24 November 2021
Ceisteanna (96)
Freagraí scríofa
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
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.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes and endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible post-primary child having to travel more than 3.2 kms to or from a pick up/set down point. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.
Bus Eireann has advised that the family to whom the Deputy refers is eligible for school transport. Bus Éireann has also advised that the pick-up point referred to by the Deputy has been assessed as being suitable as a pick-up point under the School Transport Scheme and that diverting the service is not possible due to time constraints as other eligible existing pupils are collected along this route.