Sorca Clarke
Ceist:600. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the selection process for school bus tickets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34793/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMonday, 9 September 2024
Ceisteanna (600, 601)
Sorca Clarke
Ceist:601. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the reasons families who previously held a school bus ticket and paid for these tickets for a number of years are now being put on a waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34794/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 601 together.
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
Over 140,000 mainstream tickets have issued for the 2024/2025 school year, which is already 3% more than the total tickets issued for the full 2023/2024 school year.
The purpose of my 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.
Under the current terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time (apply on time and pay on time) will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation and where there is capacity to do so.
Children who are not eligible but who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places. In these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process which is outlined as follows.
Using the Family ID as a reference, first priority is given to all existing concessionary applicants (whether they had seats or not in the last school year) who have paid by the deadline date for payments plus siblings of these pupils provided they also have paid by the deadline date. Second priority is all new applicants who applied and paid by the deadline dates (i.e. those applying for transport for the first time). Finally, all other applicants (for example late applicants/payees).
Question No. 601 answered with Question No. 600.