Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 January 2026
1266. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a child in Cork will receive their allocation of special school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2363/26]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
The purpose of the 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.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
Both pupils referred to by the Deputy are eligible for the above scheme. Bus Éireann have advised that the service in question has been awarded to a contractor. The contractor is currently being vetted. Once this process is complete and the service is ready to commence, the Bus Éireann local office will contact the family directly.
Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for children with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore receive an interim Special Transport Grant. This is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is intended to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until the service starts. The family have been contacted directly by School Transport Section and provided with details of the grant.
