Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022
831. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the number of those eligible for school transport that had or have not yet secured a place on a bus due to late payment of fees by county and month from September 2021 to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2135/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
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.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition, all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and who had applied and paid on time are accommodated on school transport services. This arrangement is in place for current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and are offered seats where capacity exists after all eligible children have been catered for.
Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and may only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2021/2022 school year.
Bus Éireann has provided the information the Deputy requires in the two tables which are attached - details of mainstream eligible pupils who paid late where no ticket has been issued and mainstream eligible pupils who paid late where a ticket has been issued.
