1339. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has undertaken any analysis of the geographical distribution of unsuccessful school transport scheme applications in order to identify counties or regions experiencing disproportionately high levels of refused applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57772/26]

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.

The purpose of the scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

The scheme is demand-led based on the number of children who apply nationally. Families are required to register their details on the Bus Éireann Family Portal to have their eligibility for transport assessed and to make applications under the scheme.

Bus Éireann organise routes based on the number of eligible children who complete the application process on time. A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Where pupils are not eligible for transport but complete the process on time, they will be considered for any spare seats that are available after eligible children have been accommodated. These are known as concessionary seats.

The scheme has expanded significantly over the past six years. In that time, the numbers of children and young people using the service have grown from under 120,000 pupils in 2018 to over 180,000 pupils in 2025, which equates to an increase of close to 50%.

In the 2025/26 school year these children were transported daily in over 8,600 vehicles across over 11,100 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These trips cover over 100 million kilometres annually. Of these children travelling on mainstream services, approximately 100,000 met the eligibility criteria. A further 50,000 children were facilitated on school transport services on a concessionary basis.