Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
174. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to implement the recommendation of the review on school transport to enable an additional 100,000 students to be carried on the school transport scheme by 2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69895/25]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme, 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.
The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the scheme include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for money to the Exchequer. It is proposed to expand access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.
A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024/2025 school year where the Department began testing the feasibility of a number of approaches through a series of pilot programmes; these pilot programmes are held in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann.
A total of 14 pilot projects are underway in the current school year. These pilots are being evaluated to provide valuable insights into the impact of increased demand on the scheme, the potential for integrating public transport with school transport services, and opportunities to promote more sustainable modes of transport.
Existing pilots are continuing for this school year.? They are being monitored over the year and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year.? The findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.
Work is also underway to identify where further pilot programmes may be conducted. A number of approaches are being examined including the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify how many additional children would become eligible and where they are located. A digital mapping project of all existing school bus routes has been developed and there is ongoing collaboration with the Department of Transport, Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority in regard to planned expansion of public transport routes to explore where integration may be possible.
E-ticketing is already being trialled in some of the pilot areas, and will be rolled out to all pilot areas for pupils on dedicated school transport shortly.
Additional funding is being provided in 2026 to further strengthen and enhance our School Transport Services, ensuring continued support for families, schools, and communities right across the country.
This funding will allow for further progress in the implementation of School Transport 2030, focusing particularly on vital technology improvements, including e-ticketing, which should enable smarter route planning and maximise seat utilisation further improving scheme efficiency and effectiveness.
Not only will eTicketing replace the current printed paper tickets, eTicketing should also provide accurate information on ticket utilisation, which is currently not readily available.
Implementation of the recommendations of the review will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.
