Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
348. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the pilot school bus scheme, including outlining any additional services that were provided for the 2025-2026 school year; the additional services planned for the 2026-27 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3189/26]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
A phased implementation of the School Transport 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 fourteen pilot projects took place in the 2024/2025 school year and will continue for the current school year.
Following the closing date for payment for the 2025/2026 school year the Department, in collaboration with Bus Éireann, assessed where dedicated school transport/pilots may be successfully delivered, and a further eleven pilots were approved. The Department has asked Bus Éireann to review where additional capacity may be available for concessionary pupils who paid on time and would become eligible if the revised school transport scheme criteria was rolled out in full. Some of these pilots are operational and the remainder are going through procurement. Once this work is complete, I will be in a position to share the full details of the pilots.
Due to ongoing challenges in the wider transport sector, including availability of drivers and vehicles, any expansion of services must be carefully planned and phased. While pilot projects are being considered in select areas to test revised eligibility criteria, these pilots are limited in scope and capacity.
All pilots – including those which commenced in the 2024/2025 school year – are being monitored and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year. Findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.
