Martin Browne
Ceist:124. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if her Department plans to increase bus capacity on the route fromBirdhill to Newport, County Tipperary (details supplied). [44598/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 12 October 2023
Ceisteanna (124)
Freagraí scríofa
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 133,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the start of the 2022/2023 school year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
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. Safety of children travelling on the school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and to Bus Éireann. 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 be accompanied to convenient pick-up points along the main route.
Bus Éireann has advised that two large vehicles operate on the route referred to by the Deputy.
One service is currently full and operating at capacity while the remaining service has some capacity at present. Families wishing to enquire about tickets on this service can contact Bus Éireann who have put in place a dedicated customer care call centre and a Contact Form on buseireann.ie/schooltransport to assist families specifically with School Transport queries. Families who have queries can contact the call centre on: LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.