Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
837. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education her plans to address the under-provision of school transport places to pupils in Celbridge, County Kildare in time for the new academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42423/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra867. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the number of seats available in north County Kildare on the school transport service for the 2022-2023 academic year; if she will provide additional capacity by either engaging Bus Éireann or a contractor to augment services; and the number of concessionary tickets issued and the capacity for this cohort. [42875/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 837 and 867 together.
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
The normal eligibility criteria of the scheme still apply and tickets continue to be allocated in line with this criteria. Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible.
Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time for the 2022/2023 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year. Under these measures, which were initially introduced in 2019, transport will provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
While it is not possible to provide the full figures requested by the Deputy at this time, as Bus Éireann are continuing to process applications and are issuing tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service. Bus Éireann have advised that the total number of mainstream tickets issued in Kildare as at 07/09/2022 for the 2022/23 school year was 5,642. This figure represents a 20% increase in the number of mainstream tickets issued in comparison to the 2021/22 school year.
