Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2022
220. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education if school transport tickets will issue to three students (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46568/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
The Department of Education and Bus Éireann have a process to facilitate the provision of School Transport Scheme Services for children arriving to Ireland from Ukraine.
For children residing with a host family or for children of Ukrainian families living in their own private accommodation, an application for school transport can be made via a link on www.gov.ie/ukraine to a form below;
Application form for school transport parent/guardian/host
For families and children residing in accommodation centres (or similar), school principals may apply for transport for children attending their school who are residing in such accommodation. School principals should complete the information required on a form which is available on Gov.ie and return it to their local REALT co-ordinator. Full information is available on gov.ie via this link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/320e9-employment-and-education/#education.
Children will be accommodated on existing services where there is capacity. Children will not be charged for their ticket and normal eligibility criteria will be waived. If there is no service or capacity, a grant may be offered to the family as appropriate.
Every effort will be made to ensure school transport services are up and running as they are required. However, given the ongoing movement and arrival of families, it may in some cases take some time to arrange services for families as information becomes available for those who require school transport.
New applications are required for all pupils for the 2022/23 school year and applications continue to be received on a daily basis as families are relocated or as new families arrive.
