There is “strong potential” for integrating school and public transport services, according to preliminary analysis of pilot projects carried out over the last two years, a briefing report provided by the Department of Education has said.
In a document submitted to the Dáil Public Accounts Committee, the department said the implementation of the Government’s plan to expand the school transport system would take time to plan and put in place and would be subject to significant financial and resource considerations.
“School Transport 2030 flags the intention of Government to expand access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030; 260,000 children and young people in total.”
“A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024/2025 school year and is continuing for the 2026/27 school year.
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“A total of 25 pilots have been introduced and are being monitored. An evaluation of the pilots in the 2025/2026 school year is currently under way. Preliminary analysis suggests that the pilots demonstrate strong potential for integrating school and public transport services.”
The Department of Education briefing document says “the scale of the scheme is significant; changes will take time to plan and implement and will be subject to significant financial and resource considerations”.
It says there are ongoing issues with driver and vehicle shortages.
“Integration with public service transport services is complex for a number of reasons, including ensuring that the needs of children are met. Given the volume and complexity of challenges, and the requirement to maintain a high-quality service to children, while achieving value for money for the Exchequer, it is considered prudent to implement the proposed scheme changes on a phased basis.”
The briefing document says the proposed changes to eligibility criteria set out in the review of the scheme are expected to expand the numbers of students availing of transport, reducing reliability on individual car journeys to access education.
“Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 school years, numbers on school transport services have increased from about 160,000 to 181,000 which includes about 2,000 pupils being facilitated across the 25 pilot project areas. These numbers contribute to the target of the projected additional 100,000 children to be accommodated on the mainstream scheme by 2030.
“At this point, the number of school-going children is declining, however the prevalence of special educational need is increasing. Only 18 per cent of school pupils currently avail of the service and hence there is significant room for growth, despite demographic decline.”
The Department of Education report says that although fees for using the school transport system are going up compared to recent years, it remains heavily subsidised by the Exchequer.
“Restored fee levels in 2027 will still mean 92 per cent subsidisation of the service for primary school students and 75 per cent for post primary students.”
The briefing document says at the end of the last school year, over 181,000 children and young people “were transported daily in approximately 8,791 vehicles, across over 11,000 routes, to almost 4,000 primary schools, post-primary schools and special schools throughout the country.”
“Of these pupils, over 130,000 meet the mainstream eligibility criteria and are provided with a place on school transport, while a further 50,000 non-eligible (concessionary) pupils were also facilitated on school transport services.”
The document says this represents an increase of 58 per cent in total journeys from 2020 to the current school year.
“The expenditure on the scheme has more than doubled over a six-year period from over €200 million in 2018 to €537 million in 2025. This largely reflects the growth in the number of children being provided with a service, both on the mainstream and the special education services, and inflationary pressures associated with drivers and vehicles.”
