613. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria for eligibility for the school bus transport scheme, specifying the distance requirements, prioritisation process, and any special considerations for students with additional needs and to provide details of the appeals process available for families who may not initially qualify for the service but wish to contest their eligibility status…
Topics / School Transport
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSchool Transport
1,013 questions from 118 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
1,013
questions
1,006 written, 7 oral
118
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
5
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 16 |
| February 2025 | 35 |
| March 2025 | 48 |
| April 2025 | 78 |
| May 2025 | 44 |
| June 2025 | 36 |
| July 2025 | 66 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 153 |
| October 2025 | 34 |
| November 2025 | 53 |
| December 2025 | 22 |
| January 2026 | 47 |
| February 2026 | 37 |
| March 2026 | 38 |
| April 2026 | 45 |
| May 2026 | 41 |
| June 2026 | 37 |
| July 2026 | 54 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 68 |
| October 2026 | 61 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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64
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53
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41
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29
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27
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27
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24
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24
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
618. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on an application for the extension of a school transport route (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24355/25]
330. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline the schools that were included in the 14 pilot projects for the school transport scheme in the 2024-2025 school year; if she will confirm the timeline when the findings of these projects will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23233/25]
167. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that persons employed as bus escorts for students in special needs schools are not paid during holiday periods and are entitled to minimum social welfare payments to cover these periods; the plan she has to ensure that such valuable workers are appropriately remunerated in order to attract workers into this important area of work; an…
178. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will sanction a school bus to run between two Clare locations (details supplied), despite not being the closest school, due to the high number of students who would avail of the bus and the convenience it would provide to them and their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22374/25]
189. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth if school transport will be provided to a pupil (details supplied) who is starting secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22489/25]
216. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of people who are in receipt of the remote area grant. [21821/25]
217. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education the number of providers that are enrolled with Bus Éireann to provide school transport services for children with special educational needs in Cork for each of the years 2020 to 2024; the efforts being taken to enrol more providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21748/25]
221. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider establishing a school bus route run by Bus Éireann from Delvin to Mullingar; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21803/25]
222. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that families are paying over €900 per year to pay for private transfers to bring their children to and from school as Bus Éireann does not service this route; if a family (details supplied) is eligible for the remote area grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21804/25]
240. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on school transportation for a person (details supplied). [22008/25]
753. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education if she will report on Bus Éireann’s route to Kildare Town Community School; and if there is a waiting list. [18599/25]
764. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education to investigate the reason a family in County Kerry can not get on a school bus especially when there are plenty seats available (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18681/25]
765. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a school bus ticket for and investigate if a student in County Kerry can get on a school bus at a more suitable location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18682/25]
782. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education when school transport will be made available to a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18758/25]
783. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education her plans on expanding the school bus routes currently serving Kildare north; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18759/25]
784. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education if shed will consider providing an additional bus service to transport students from Maynooth, County Kildare to two primary schools (details supplied), as the current bus services are at full capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18760/25]
794. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to the provision of a school bus service for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18866/25]
823. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will review correspondence in relation to school transport (details supplied) and provide an update on the matter. [18988/25]
836. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education the number of pilot schemes run under the revised school transport scheme for 2025-2026; the current stage of each pilot run under the revised scheme; when the revised school transport scheme for 2025/2026 will be ready; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19078/25]
843. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education when the necessary changes to the school transport scheme will be implemented that will allow students who live less than 3.2km from their local national primary school and students who live less than 4.8km from their local national secondary school avail of school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19190/25]
845. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the number of bespoke school transport contracts in place specifically for beneficiaries of temporary protection in each county; and the total cost of these contracts for the current academic year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19198/25]
846. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if her Department intends to renew bespoke school transport contracts in place specifically for beneficiaries of temporary protection for the 2025-2026 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19199/25]
847. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if she will list each route in respect of bespoke school transport contracts in place specifically for beneficiaries of temporary protection; the number of children concerned on each route; the cost of each route, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19200/25]
868. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the number of schools that have received funding for a transport escort in relation to the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs; the number of have applied and been unsuccessful; and the funding awarded to each school for the purpose of employing an escort. [19293/25]