Education | Extent to which school transport can be improved in line with enrolment requirements for September 2024 in north Kildare and countrywide

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Education the extent to which she and her Department expect to be in a position to improve school transport serving primary and second level schools throughout north Kildare and countrywide in line with the enrolment requirements and admissions for September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.  In the current school year over 161,600 children are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country.

This figure comprises over 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine  

The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.

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, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport, who apply and pay on time, are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.  Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The Remote Area Grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.

Temporary Alleviation Measures (TAMS) at post-primary level, which have been in place since 2019, are being continued for the 2024/25 school year. Under these measures, transport is 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 and are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated.

Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.

It should be noted that planning for school transport services in any given year will commence in the December to January preceding the start of that school year.  In this regard planning for the 2024/2025 school year has already started with my officials in regular engagement with Bus Éireann in this regard.

A review of the School Transport Scheme has been completed.  This review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness, and sustainability and to ensure it services students and their families adequately.

The School Transport Scheme 2030 report has now been published. It marks the largest review of the School Transport Scheme since it was established in 1967. The Government is committed to working to achieve the report’s recommendation of expanding access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.  

Overall, the recommended changes to the future operation of the Scheme include:

• expansion of the current eligibility criteria
• addressing current operational challenges, charges and grants and over time
• moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for money to the Exchequer.

A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations will begin in September 2024.  It is intended, subject to resources, to commence implementing the revised eligibility criteria in the 2025/2026 school year.

 This will include a shared effort between my Department and the Department of Transport to pilot and introduce greater integration of transport networks with school transport routes.

The scale of the scheme is significant, and any changes will take time to plan and implement. Therefore, it is considered prudent to implement the proposed scheme changes on a phased basis.  

It is intended, subject to resources, to commence implementing the revised eligibility criteria in the 2025/2026 school year.

It should be noted that planning for school transport services in any given year will commence in the December to January preceding the start of that school year.  In this regard planning for the 2024/2025 school year has already started with my officials in regular engagement with Bus Éireann in this regard.