Thursday, 8 Sep 2022

Local Authorities

Ceisteanna (864)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

864. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the totality of grant aid and-or subsidy provided to each local authority in 2019, 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022 (details supplied). [42824/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

I wish to confirm that my Department has not provided any grant aid and-or subsidies to local authorities in 2019, 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022. My Department has made payments to Local Authorities in the normal course of business for services that local authorities provide to my Department.

School Costs

Ceisteanna (865)

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

865. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the huge costs faced by parents in relation to sending children back to school; and if she will address these costs and the waste in relation to buying physical books (details supplied). [42858/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

As Minister for Education, I am acutely aware of the costs faced by families upon the return of their children to school. I am conscious that buying textbooks is a significant cost for parents and for this reason my Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, my Department provided funding of €18.2 million in 2022 to all of these schools. Schools participating in my Department’s DEIS Programme receive an enhanced rate of book grant

Schools are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. Apart from a small number of prescribed texts at post-primary level, determined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), the decisions on which textbooks, programmes and resources, if any, to use in primary and post-primary schools are taken at school level.

It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those students most in need.

Additional funding of €1million was provided under Budget 2020 to provide free books in DEIS primary schools on a pilot basis. This funding was allocated to 102 DEIS primary schools for a pilot programme. The pilot provides for free school books for students in the schools involve in order to support these schools in eliminating the cost of school books for parents. This pilot programme is being continued for the 22/23 school year and will be subject to evaluation.

I have recently announced additional measures designed to help families with school-going children returning to school which includes the non-charging of fees for school bus tickets which will provide families with savings of up to €500 on the costs of tickets.

Additionally, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BTSCFA) helps families meet the cost of uniforms and footwear for children going to school.

The BTSCFA scheme is open for applications from eligible parents until 30 September 2022, and can be accessed on www.mywelfare.ie

The Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill is currently before Dáil Éireann. When enacted, it will improve how schools engage with students and their parents by requiring each school to consult with students and their parents on individual school plans, policies and activities, including school costs. This will help ensure that the various views of students and parents will be heard and responded to by schools.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (866)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

866. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if school transport will be provided to a student (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that this student was always in receipt of school transport but due to an inadvertent error there is no application on file for this student. [42874/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

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, are 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.

I am pleased to advise that the child referred to by the Deputy are eligible under the terms of the scheme. Bus Éireann has advised that their local office has liaised directly with the family referred with regard to issuing a ticket on board a school transport service for the 2022/23 school year.

Question No. 867 answered with Question No. 837.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (868, 939)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

868. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the consultation that took place between her Department and Bus Éireann in advance of the free school transport announcement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42880/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

939. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of times she met with Bus Éireann over the summer since 24 July 2022 regarding school transport; the dates of those meetings; and the names of officials present at those meetings, in tabular form. [43551/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 868 and 939 together.

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. 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.

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.

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.

As of 1st September 2022, 121,000 tickets for the 2022/2023 school year have been issued to applicants for the new school year. This is a significant increase on the number on tickets issued in the 2021/2022 school year. Additional transport and drivers have been secured to cater for this increased demand for services.

My Department officials engage with Bus Éireann staff on a daily basis with regard to the operation of the School Transport Scheme. In addition, quarterly strategic, and monthly operational meetings are held throughout the year.

Agreed Performance Indicators for the operation of the scheme are set out in the Service Level Agreement and this forms the basis of the regular meetings held between the Department of Education and Bus Éireann.

Officials also hold regular meetings as the need arises which include but is not limited to: planning for additional school transport places, the management of transport provision for children arriving from Ukraine, the implications that increasing fuel costs may have on the provision of school transport services and the estimated cost to the scheme of waiving the school transport annual ticket charge.

I have met with Bus Éireann on a number of occasions in recent weeks to discuss progress on the allocation of tickets for the 2022/2023 school year. Senior officials from my Department were in attendance at these meetings as were senior officials from Bus Éireann. In addition to these meetings I have received regular updates from Bus Éireann as they continue to process applications and to issue tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (869)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

869. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if her Department made a decision to tender for a smaller bus for a school route (details supplied) in County Mayo for 2022-2023; if her Department made the decision to do this; the rationale for this decision in view of the immense hardship it will now cause to the concessionary students of working parents who have been left without school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42889/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

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.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

Parents of a child wishing to avail of school transport services are required to apply on-line on Bus Éireann website at www.buseireann.ie

Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

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 a random selection process.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.

Bus Éireann has advised that all eligible who have completed the application process on time to the school referred to by the Deputy have been accommodated on a school transport services for the 2022/23 school year, 2 concessionary ticket holders have also been accommodated on the existing service where spare seats were available.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (870)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

870. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if school transport will be provided for a family (details supplied) considering that they have availed of this service for many years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42891/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

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, are 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.

I am pleased to advise that the children referred to by the Deputy were issued tickets on 30th August 2022 to travel on board a school transport service for the 2022/23 school year.

School Curriculum

Ceisteanna (871)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

871. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education her plans to review the criteria to grant an exemption from learning Irish; the reason the criteria focus on literacy scores rather than considering other factors of children with disabilities and additional learning needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42902/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

I can advise the Deputy that an initial review of the implementation of the 2019 circulars on exemptions from the study of Irish has been completed by the Department.

Revised circulars including updated criteria for granting an exemption from the study of Irish together with accompanying guidelines to support implementation will be issued to schools at the start of the new school year for immediate implementation.

Environmental Schemes

Ceisteanna (872)

Steven Matthews

Ceist:

872. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) will be considered for inclusion in the energy retrofit pathfinder programme; if this programme will be expanded to allow access for more schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42948/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

My Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications established a jointly funded pathfinder programme with the SEAI, testing and demonstrating energy efficiency and decarbonisation retrofit approaches. This pathfinder is a great example of collaboration ensuring the deployment of new design approaches and technologies are introduced to the educational environment on an evidence based approach.

This Pathfinder programme is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan. It is facilitating research on a range of typical retrofit options, which will have been tried and tested. It is providing valuable development information for a solution driven delivery strategy which will be founded on a solid evidence base that has proven the robustness and scalability of renewable solutions within the schools’ sector.

This programme continues to assist the Department to identify and test solutions for decarbonised energy efficiency solutions in our schools, to support the Climate Action Plan.

The longer-term outcome of the pathfinder will be to create an accurate and scalable model for energy efficient retrofits of schools across Ireland. The deep energy retrofit programme for schools built prior to 2008 is due to be rolled out as included in the National Development Plan.

The general principles and approach to school selection include schools meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements and demonstrating a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the Energy in Education Programme. The programme selection also seeks to enable various cross sections of school types and sizes, energy consumption profiles and different elements of construction type and heritage/ conservation requirements where specific learnings are being targeted.

The pathfinder programme is thus delivered on broad assessment in line with the above considerations and not on an invitation basis. Schools who wish to be included for consideration should ensure that they are meeting Energy Monitoring and Reporting requirements and can demonstrate a strong and holistic commitment to energy management practices through participation in the Energy in Education Programme.

The Energy in Education website portal and advice programme (Joint programme between SEAI and Dept. of Education assists schools to reduce energy consumption and on the benefits of sustainability, www.energyineducation.ie. Typically savings of between 5 to 10% are identified through low and no cost measures, while some schools participating have identified potential savings of up to 15 % or more.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (873)

Bernard Durkan

Ceist:

873. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if the school transport system takes account of school feeder patterns in rural areas when allocating places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42976/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last 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.

A number of changes to the School Transport Scheme were introduced in Budget 2011, which derived from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme. These changes encompassed a number of elements including the cessation of catchment boundary area to determine eligibility at post primary level.

Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school having regard to ethos and language.

Students at post-primary level are eligible where they live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time and who confirmed to Bus Éireann that they require a ticket by the 29th July 2022 will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2022/23 school year where such services are in operation.

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 on when all eligible children have been catered for.

Further information in relation to the eligibility of the School Transport Scheme can be found on: gov.ie - School transport (www.gov.ie)

Teaching Council of Ireland

Ceisteanna (874)

Niall Collins

Ceist:

874. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 1078 of 26 July 2022, the status of the matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42980/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).

In accordance with Department Circular 31/ 2011, www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0031_2011.pdf (post primary), which sets out the current conditions of employment for teachers, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired. Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for the recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people. These measures were taken in an effort to increase employment opportunities for unemployed teachers.

Section 3.4 of Circular 31/2011 states where an employer can satisfactorily demonstrate that every reasonable effort has been made to recruit an appropriately qualified registered teacher, a teacher registered under any regulation of the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009 may be appointed pending the recruitment of an appropriately qualified registered teacher. The contract of employment must include a condition that the contract will terminate on the recruitment of an appropriately qualified registered teacher or the following 31 August, whichever happens first. Remuneration will be at the unqualified rate of pay.

The application of the conditions set out in Circular 31/2011 with regard to Further Education qualified and registered teachers teaching in the Post-Primary Sector remains unchanged at this time. Any amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions or through the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC) forum.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (875, 923, 929, 938)

Verona Murphy

Ceist:

875. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education the provisions that her Department is making to increase capacity within the school transport system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42992/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Marian Harkin

Ceist:

923. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education the plans that are in place to deal with the severe shortfall in school transport places for the 2022-2023 school year, in particular the number of children who previously had concessionary transport for the past number of years and who now find themselves without school transport this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43306/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Joe McHugh

Ceist:

929. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education the contingency plans that she has in place to deal with the extra demand for school bus tickets and for the many parents who are being notified that there is no space on a bus for their child even though an older sibling has been offered a ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43465/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

938. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if those families who have applied and who have been told that there is no place for their child on the school bus will be urgently granted access to the school transport that they need when the additional resources in relation to the procurement of extra buses and drivers for school transport are in place (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43549/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 875, 923, 929 and 938 together.

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last 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.

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.

As of 1st September 2022, 121,000 tickets for the 2022/2023 school year have been issued to applicants for the new school year. This is a significant increase on the number on tickets issued in the 2021/2022 school year. Additional transport and drivers have been secured to cater for this increased demand for services.

Bus Éireann will continue to process applications and to issue tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service. However, regrettably the unprecedented numbers of new applications for the upcoming school year, has led to some delays in issuing tickets.

The normal eligibility criteria of the scheme still apply.

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.

All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time and who confirmed to Bus Éireann that they require a ticket by the 29th July 2022 will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2022/23 school year 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 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.

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 on when all eligible children have been catered for.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible pupils/students and the priority of providing places for eligible ticket holders, 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.

Bus Éireann is continuing to work through remaining applications and families will be contacted as further information is available.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (876)

Danny Healy-Rae

Ceist:

876. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the solutions that are being put in place for the issues with school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43006/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

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.

Bus Éireann are processing applications and 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.

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.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (877)

Michael McNamara

Ceist:

877. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if she will address the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43013/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. 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.

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.

Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Students who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and confirmation process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2022/23 school year.

Students who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on a number of conditions including if there is a suitable service, as determined by Bus Éireann, operating into their education centre, the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes, and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.

Bus Éireann have confirmed the pupil resides 0.8 km from the nearest post primary centre, Ennis post primary centre and resides 28.9 km from the school of attendance, CBS Ennistymon and is therefore not eligible for school transport. Bus Éireann have advised there is currently no suitable service operating from the pupils address to their school of attendance in order for concessionary transport to be considered.

In cases where my Department is satisfied that a student's nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance the student lives from your next nearest school in relation to ethos and language.

To establish that the nearest school is full families must provide:

- evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school, and

- a letter from the school authorities confirming that the school was full.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (878)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

878. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if school transport will be provided to siblings (details supplied) given that their application was submitted on time but they could not confirm their details due to issues with the website; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43028/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

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, are 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.

I am pleased to advise that the child referred to by the Deputy are eligible under the terms of the scheme and was issued a ticket on board a school transport service for the 2022/23 school year.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (879)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

879. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify the supports available in a situation (details supplied) where a child is not able to avail of public transport and can no longer be transported by her family to her school, specifically in this case when the circumstances mean that the family was unable to apply to any scheme before now and the new school term is imminent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43030/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

School 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. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.

Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs

School Transport Section of my Department has received an application for school transport for the child referred to by the Deputy and it has been reported by the SENO that this child is not attending their nearest school that is, or can be, resourced to meet the child's educational needs under Department of Education criteria. The child referred to in this case is therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme.

School Transport Section of my Department has also notified the family of the outcome of the decision.

National Educational Psychological Service

Ceisteanna (880)

Peter Burke

Ceist:

880. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education when a position will be filled for a National Educational Psychological Service psychologist in the Longford-Westmeath area; if schools will be reimbursed for psychologist reports they have already paid privately for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43031/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework where there is need via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

NEPS does not maintain waiting lists, but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Where reasonable progress is not made, following a school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, a psychologist will become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment. This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually.

There is one vacancy in the Longford/Westmeath area. Schools continue to have access to NEPS for critical incident support, for regional support and development service and also to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries, through the local NEPS office. In relation to a casework service, the school may access a casework service, where there is need, via psychologists on the SCPA panel. The local NEPS office is available to discuss any other requirements the school may have.

Question No. 881 answered with Question No. 859.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (882)

Paul Kehoe

Ceist:

882. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education if she will consider amending the terms of the school transport system to permit concessionary ticket holders to carry over a ticket allocation for the duration of their time in a given school, providing greater certainty for that student and their family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43041/22]