1103. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the names and locations of the 11 new pilot school transport routes that are to be introduced under the school transport scheme; to indicate the criteria used in selecting these routes; the anticipated commencement dates for each route; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57788/26]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin under the heading School Transport.
24 questions match, newest first.
1104. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will engage with Bus Éireann regarding the length of time being taken to respond to correspondence from Oireachtas members and constituency offices on school transport matters; whether she is concerned about the delays and non-responses being experienced by families and their public representatives; the measures being taken to impr…
276. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that provision of school transport service in the Wexford/Wicklow area will be reviewed and addressed before the new academic year begins. [46443/26]
655. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to specify how the €69 million allocated in Budget 2026 will be expended in relation to the measures outlined in the School Transport Report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12303/26]
656. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth in light of recent media commentary regarding the introduction of e-tickets, to address the fact that in last September's national coverage highlighted supply and demand pressures as the predominant issue rather than e ticketing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12304/26]
657. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth how the current loophole, in which individuals use incorrect or falsified Eircodes to obtain bus tickets, is being monitored and enforced; the safeguards that are in place (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12305/26]
658. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the situation in Castletown, where 15 children may "temporarily" relocate within the catchment area to qualify for school transport; the measures that will be taken should all applicants thereby become eligible; in particular, whether the Department will provide a second bus in such circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the ma…
52. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if Bus Éireann will consider extending the upper age limit for school bus drivers from the current cut-off point of 70 years to 75 years or beyond, provided that drivers are medically fit given that there is no legal upper age limit in the State requiring a person to cease driving; his views that such a change could help alleviate shortages…
53. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there will be a recruitment campaign in 2026 for school bus operators and drivers to help alleviate the shortage of school bus places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6691/26]
54. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the guidelines relating to the distance to a child’s nearest school will be reviewed, particularly in cases where a child requires a special education place and the nearest school with such facilities may be the furthest from the family home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6692/26]
55. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a more efficient system will be put in place for the 2026/2027 school year to ensure that queries from Oireachtas members receive timely replies for their constituents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6693/26]
56. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there will be additional school transport routes for the Wicklow–Wexford area for the 2026/2027 school year following the evaluation of the 2025/2026 pilot scheme; when this will be announced in advance of the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6694/26]
57. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth when evaluating new routes, if he and Bus Éireann will allocate a new route to an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6695/26]
411. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will engage with Bus Éireann in relation to the lack of response and lack of specific case details following queries from Oireachtas members about school transport places (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51147/25]
407. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Transport if the new taskforce for school transport will examine investing in the purchase of an adequate number of school buses; if training will be provided for bus drivers for the school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47032/25]
874. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to engage with Bus Éireann over the lack of school buses, on approved bus routes from Ferns to Bunclody County Wexford, which are leaving children with no way to get to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45952/25]
968. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of bus drivers who work under the Bus Éireann scheme who have reached the age of 70 years and have had to retire due to Bus Éireann's policy; the data for the academic school years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46585/25]
969. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of bus drivers who will have to retire for the academic school year 2026-27, 2027-28, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46586/25]
970. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason companies are withdrawing their contracts with Bus Éireann under the school transport scheme; the number that have withdrawn in the academic school years of 2023/2024, 2024/2025, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46587/25]
971. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of companies that applied for the school transport scheme for the 2025-26 academic school year, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46588/25]
496. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education the number of children carried on school buses entirely comprising concessionary tickets due to the change in school transport scheme policy for all schools in counties Wicklow and Wexford, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16943/25]
497. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education the changes planned for the 2025-2026 school year regarding the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16944/25]
711. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education for the number of primary and secondary school students who have received an Irish exemption each year for the past five years; the number in each category of grounds for qualification for an exemption, for all schools across the State, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12060/25]
712. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that many secondary schools are actively encouraging some parents of primary school students preparing to start second level education to apply for a Gaeilge exemption so that they may receive other educational supports during Gaeilge teaching time; that this has become a standard practise for secondary schools who are under resource…