Questions

1206. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the implementation of the school transport review; the measures she is taking to ensure every child who wants a place on their local school bus receives one for this September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55983/26]

1208. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the 4.8km eligibility criterion for school transport (details supplied); the steps she will take to ensure students who live just inside the distance threshold are not unfairly excluded from a service that supports working families and contributes to climate objectives by reducing car journeys; and if she will make a statement on…

1210. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in Wexford without special school transport for the 2026-2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55987/26]

1216. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of a school transport application for a child (details supplied); whether a decision has been made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56098/26]

1222. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the school transport options available to a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56158/26]

1230. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average age of school buses that have been part of the Bus Éireann fleet in each of the past three years, in tabular form. [56214/26]

1245. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the school transport options that are available to a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56556/26]

1293. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the financial difficulties facing a school (details supplied), arising from her Department’s decision to reimburse only 50% of bus escort costs at the start of the 2025–2026 school year, with the balance not due until January 2026; if she recognises the significant cash flow pressures this places on schools providin…

16. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to ensure school bus tickets are issued in advance of the commencement of the 2026-27 school year; the steps being taken to avoid a recurrence of the delays and capacity issues experienced last year, which resulted in eligible children being left without transport or unable to access existing routes; and if she will make a stat…

18. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the twenty-one students who attend a school (details supplied) and applied and paid for school transport through Bus Éireann can instead be accommodated on existing routes from Westport and Castlebar, following their own application being declined after all students were assessed as concessionary; and if she will make a statement on the matter…

20. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to provide certainty to families in advance of the commencement of the 2026-2027 school year regarding school transport allocations and charges; the steps being taken to ensure that families receive timely confirmation of school bus placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53983/26]

24. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the school transport scheme will recognise designated feeder schools (details supplied) for the purpose of eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54200/26]

30. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures that have been taken to control costs on school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54199/26]

40. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the implementation of the school transport review; the measures she is taking to ensure every child who wants a place on their local school bus receives one for this September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54036/26]

53. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications for the school transport scheme, by county, for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years; the number of applicants in Cork county that applied for the scheme on time for 2026-2027; the number of applicants for special school transport; the changes that will occur for September 2027 compared to September 2026 in relation t…

66. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the 4.8km eligibility criterion for school transport, as it fails to reflect the reality of modern rural life where many parents are commuting to work early each morning and cannot provide school transport; and the steps she will take to ensure students who live just inside the distance threshold are not unfairly excluded from a ser…

82. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on progress of the roll-out of School Transport 2030; when she anticipates further pilot routes to be rolled out; whether she is considering adding routes for the 2026-2027 school year; and if so, if they will be based on demand "hotspots" identified over the past number of years (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on t…

88. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in Cork without special school transport for the 2026-2027 school year. [52758/26]

95. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has given further consideration to allowing for school transport from the east side of Galway city to schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54055/26]

306. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the safety concerns raised by parents in Ballyboughal regarding the school bus service; her plans to address these concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54280/26]

194. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views regarding the increasing cost of private school transport for families; her views on the impact rising operating costs are having on the viability of private school transport operators; whether consideration is being given to introducing a subsidy scheme to support these services and reduce costs for parents; and if she will make a statement on …

280. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school transport tickets issued under the school transport scheme for each of the academic years 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026, broken down by eligible tickets and discretionary tickets; the number of applications received for discretionary school transport tickets in each of those academic years; the number of discretionary tick…

313. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the school transport options available to a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53156/26]

95. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether there is currently a blanket pause on the processing of school transport applications; the reasons for any such pause, or systemic delays; and the steps she is taking to ensure that children with special educational needs and disabilities who have secured a suitable school place a significant distance from their home receive the home-to-school…

369. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated cost to the Exchequer to provide free school transport to all primary and post-primary school students in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51350/26]