Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
340. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether a designated email account (details supplied) remains active and monitored for correspondence from public representatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32164/26]
View answer341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average response time for correspondence received through the designated email account (details supplied) in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [32165/26]
View answer342. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of emails received through the designated email account (details supplied) in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 remained unanswered after ten working days and after 20 working days. [32166/26]
View answer343. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether Bus Éireann issues an automatic acknowledgement for emails received through the designated email account (details supplied); and if not, the reason. [32167/26]
View answer344. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she accepts that repeated non-response to correspondence from public representatives through the designated email account (details supplied) undermines public accountability and delays resolution of public transport issues for constituents; and the steps being taken to address this matter. [32168/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 340, 341, 342, 343 and 344 together.
Bus Éireann operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. It is a significant operation transporting over 181,000 pupils to and from school daily on over 11,200 routes throughout Ireland, including the provision of services for over 24,000 pupils with additional needs.
Bus Éireann advises that representations received from Oireachtas members via the designated email address are treated as a priority. Delays do occur during summer months due to the volume of queries received, as well as the frequent duplication in these queries, and also the need to comply with GDPR policies while resolving the complex, and often specifically local nature of the queries received.
However, all elected representatives who make their queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email do receive an automated acknowledgement email sent on receipt of each query received.
In 2024, Bus Éireann received 1,672 representation queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email.
In 2025, Bus Éireann received 2,614 representation queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email which represents a 56% increase versus 2024.
In 2026 to date, Bus Éireann has received 228 representation queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email.
Each year there are in excess of 38,000 new applications to be processed for mainstream pupils and over 7,500 applications for pupils require Special Educational Needs transport. Bus Éireann is required to ensure all tickets are issued, that the large volumes of routes are procured, and that all drivers are vetted, so as to ensure each local service is in place for the start of the new school year.
Bus Éireann also receives queries via multiple channels, including through the dedicated reps@buseireann.ie email for Oireachtas members, but also directly to Local Managers via non-designated email addresses and by direct phone calls. Bus Éireann regularly promotes the benefit of all elected representative queries relating to the School Transport Scheme being submitted to the dedicated email address so as to avoid overload of the school Transport Scheme management system and helping it to be more responsive to Oireachtas member queries.
Bus Éireann have advised that they would like to apologise to those political representatives who have encountered delays in receiving a response to their respective queries and wish to assure them that they are continuing to review how they can provide additional communications to elected representatives to assist in answering their queries and representations. Bus Éireann has encountered resourcing issues in areas such as the Cork and Waterford office last year which resulted in delays in particular in these areas. Bus Éireann will continue to focus on providing responses in a timely manner through the dedicated email address reps@buseireann.ie, as this offers a single point of contact from which a more efficient system can operate.
