Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:458. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if a bus route (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51616/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 18 October 2022
Ceisteanna (458)
Freagraí scríofa
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.
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.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not 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.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of my Department. Bus Éireann 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.
Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that pupils residing in the areas referred to by the Deputy are generally eligible for transport.
The nearest service pickup point to a school transport service operates from the North Square, Sneem, which is approximately 7.0 km to 8.0 km from the areas referred. Bus Eireann has advised that the local office is currently assessing if a school transport service should be re-routed to cater for the pupils referred to by the Deputy. Bus Eireann will contact the families concerned directly once the assessment has been finalised.