School transport costs have skyrocketed in recent years, with increased demand, last year’s free fees, and increased fuel costs due to the war in Ukraine blamed for the rising costs of operating the scheme.
In 2016, the overall cost of the service stood at €190m for transporting 116,000 children on a daily basis, including 12,000 children with special educational needs.
For the school year just passed, it stood at €339m, covering 149,000 children, including 18,000 children with special educational needs. The cost of transport for children with special educational needs stood at €92m in 2016; By 2022 it had doubled to €188m.
The School Transport Scheme is a demand-led service, managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. A major review of the scheme, the first in its history, was initiated in February 2021.
Primary school children who live more than 3.2kms from their nearest school, and post-primary children who live more than 4.8kms away, are eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible but who apply on a concessionary basis may get a seat, provided there is spare capacity.
When asked about the factors behind the increase, a spokesman for the Department of Education said the rise in cost is due to a number of factors including “increased demand, the fee waiver established as part of the Government’s overall cost-of-living support measures, and increased contractor and fuel costs which have been impacted by the war in Ukraine”.
The school transport scheme in its current form is “not fit for purpose” and out of step with the reality of life in rural Ireland, according to Cork East Labour TD, Seán Sherlock.
“If the department is blaming increased demand and the fee waiver for an increase in costs of the school transport scheme then it only need look in the mirror to find the source of that cost.
“The Minister for Education needs to take radical action and remove the distance criteria as a first step and allow a school bus place for all who wish to avail of one. The issuance of concessionary tickets is anachronistic.”
Last year, as a cost-of-living measure, Education Minister Norma Foley announced the waiving of fees for the scheme for one year. It led to increased demand, and thousands of families faced difficulties securing tickets. This year, a “modest” fee was re-introduced, €50 for a student in primary school, and for €75 post-primary.
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