School Transport

Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Questions (518, 519)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

518. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if school bus escorts hours are being reduced across the State, and if so, the reason. [52096/25]

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519. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if it is her view that bus escorts should not be paid until the moment a child first steps on the bus, which fails to account for work done by bus escorts before and after children get on and off the school bus. [52097/25]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 519 together.

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

There is a facility within the Special Educational Needs Transport Scheme for the appointment of a school transport escort where a child’s care and safety needs while on school transport are such as to require the support of a School Transport Escort.

The Board of Management/ETB are responsible for the employment of the school transport escort. The Department of Education and Youth provides grant funding directly to the school for the employment of the school transport escort and sets the rate of pay.

The Board of Management/ETB, as the employer has responsibility for keeping up to date and complying with policies and legislation relating to terms and conditions of employment. Amongst its obligations, the Employer (Board of Management/ETB) must provide the employee with a contract of employment which must include minimum information as prescribed by the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994.

It is recognised that school bus escorts play a vital role in supporting children with special educational needs in their journey to and from school. A review of the School Transport Scheme has been completed. This review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness, and sustainability and to ensure it services students and their families adequately. As a recommended action arising from the review, the Department committed to continuing the comprehensive analysis of matters as they relate to the escort's pay, and the information provided to schools as the employer of the escort.

The work by School Transport Section regarding the employment of school bus escorts has been completed and an information pack has issued to schools. This pack is updated on an ongoing basis.

School bus escort hours are determined locally by the Board of Management/ETB and may vary from school to school depending on the length of the journey for the child/children on the service, the number of children on the service and the opening/closing times of the school.

The school bus escort will generally be considered as starting their working day when the first child who requires escort assistance boards the service and will generally be considered as finishing their working day when the last child who requires escort assistance is dropped at their destination. These times, morning and afternoon, determine the working hours of the escort.

Question No. 519 answered with Question No. 518.