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.
Bus Éireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy in this case have two children attending the school in question. The pupils are deemed concessionary to this school as this is their third closest Post Primary Centre. The pupils were not successful in obtaining concessionary tickets for the 2024/25 school year as the service is full to capacity.
In cases where families have applied to attend their nearest schools with regard to ethos and language, and have been advised by the school authorities that these schools are full, the Department will consider if the pupil(s) is eligible to the next nearest school.
While the closest school(s) may be full to capacity at present, each family must supply the documents mentioned below, to School Transport Section of the Department of Education.
• an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school(s), and
• a letter from each of the school authorities confirming that the school was full.
This information should be addressed to School Transport Section of my Department, at school_transport@education.gov.ie, for consideration.
An appeal in respect of this family is currently under consideration by the School Transport Appeals Board. The Appeals Board will contact the appellant directly regarding the final outcome of the case.
Under the 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) are 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.
Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post primary level are continued for the current school year. Under these measures, transport will be provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school, are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.
