Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
778. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education to provide the number of students that applied for a school transport ticket for 2023/2024 on a county basis, broken down into standard, concessionary and unsuccessful applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39319/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
In relation to the Deputy's request for the number of students that applied for a school transport ticket for 2023/2024 on a county basis, broken down into standard, concessionary and unsuccessful applicants; Bus Éireann have submitted the data requested on the attached table.
|
Tickets Issued SCYR2223 at 11/09/22 |
Tickets Issued SCYR2324 at 08/09/23 |
% Increase SCYR2223 vs SCYR2324 |
||||||||
|
County |
Concessionary |
Eligible |
Total |
Concessionary |
TAM |
Eligible |
Total |
Concessionary |
Eligible |
Total |
|
Carlow |
866 |
1678 |
2544 |
638 |
360 |
1884 |
2882 |
15.24% |
12.28% |
13.29% |
|
Cavan |
1270 |
2543 |
3813 |
1058 |
324 |
2607 |
3989 |
8.82% |
2.52% |
4.62% |
|
Clare |
942 |
2784 |
3726 |
602 |
450 |
2948 |
4000 |
11.68% |
5.89% |
7.35% |
|
Cork |
4112 |
12348 |
16460 |
3243 |
1359 |
13060 |
17662 |
11.92% |
5.77% |
7.30% |
|
Donegal |
2439 |
7471 |
9910 |
2041 |
661 |
7611 |
10313 |
10.78% |
1.87% |
4.07% |
|
Dublin |
460 |
2097 |
2557 |
428 |
112 |
2209 |
2749 |
17.39% |
5.34% |
7.51% |
|
Galway |
3016 |
7287 |
10303 |
2349 |
1154 |
7852 |
11355 |
16.15% |
7.75% |
10.21% |
|
Kerry |
1771 |
4051 |
5822 |
1392 |
534 |
4357 |
6283 |
8.75% |
7.55% |
7.92% |
|
Kildare |
1620 |
4039 |
5659 |
1370 |
372 |
4219 |
5961 |
7.53% |
4.46% |
5.34% |
|
Kilkenny |
1556 |
2505 |
4061 |
1197 |
423 |
2653 |
4273 |
4.11% |
5.91% |
5.22% |
|
Laois |
420 |
1406 |
1826 |
303 |
220 |
1490 |
2013 |
24.52% |
5.97% |
10.24% |
|
Leitrim |
750 |
1405 |
2155 |
562 |
231 |
1415 |
2208 |
5.73% |
0.71% |
2.46% |
|
Limerick |
1408 |
3808 |
5216 |
1040 |
615 |
3988 |
5643 |
17.54% |
4.73% |
8.19% |
|
Longford |
827 |
1544 |
2371 |
455 |
352 |
1558 |
2365 |
-2.42% |
0.91% |
-0.25% |
|
Louth |
919 |
3183 |
4102 |
531 |
390 |
3646 |
4567 |
0.22% |
14.55% |
11.34% |
|
Mayo |
1337 |
3848 |
5185 |
991 |
452 |
4070 |
5513 |
7.93% |
5.77% |
6.33% |
|
Meath |
1858 |
3339 |
5197 |
1615 |
598 |
3599 |
5812 |
19.11% |
7.79% |
11.83% |
|
Monaghan |
1017 |
2866 |
3883 |
862 |
276 |
2928 |
4066 |
11.90% |
2.16% |
4.71% |
|
Offaly |
1028 |
1923 |
2951 |
666 |
406 |
1934 |
3006 |
4.28% |
0.57% |
1.86% |
|
Roscommon |
727 |
1222 |
1949 |
578 |
194 |
1354 |
2126 |
6.19% |
10.80% |
9.08% |
|
Sligo |
847 |
1443 |
2290 |
767 |
272 |
1572 |
2611 |
22.67% |
8.94% |
14.02% |
|
Tipperary |
1976 |
3692 |
5668 |
1391 |
839 |
4003 |
6233 |
12.85% |
8.42% |
9.97% |
|
Waterford |
864 |
2143 |
3007 |
537 |
383 |
2332 |
3252 |
6.48% |
8.82% |
8.15% |
|
Westmeath |
918 |
2025 |
2943 |
630 |
375 |
2206 |
3211 |
9.48% |
8.94% |
9.11% |
|
Wexford |
2335 |
4483 |
6818 |
1212 |
1261 |
4616 |
7089 |
5.91% |
2.97% |
3.97% |
|
Wicklow |
1093 |
2638 |
3731 |
790 |
300 |
2708 |
3798 |
-0.27% |
2.65% |
1.80% |
|
Total |
36376 |
87771 |
124147 |
27248 |
12913 |
92819 |
132980 |
10.41% |
5.75% |
7.11% |
