Written answer
School Transport
A family’s concessionary school transport application was refused because the service is at capacity and priority goes to eligible pupils attending their nearest post-primary school.
211. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Youth If she will review the case of a person (details supplied); if she will provide an update on the school transport ticket application; and if she will address the broader issue of concessionary ticket refusals affecting families in the Tierlahood and Greighagibney area whose children attend feeder schools in Cavan town. [66236/26]
Comment on this
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
Bus Eireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their nearest post primary school.
The family applied and paid on time but was not successful in obtaining a ticket for the 2026/27 school year.
As you know, because of the nature of transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for non-eligible pupils. In these cases, Bus Éireann allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
The service is operating to capacity, and the pupil cannot be accommodated at this time.