Information for families regarding School Transport Application Process for 2023/24 School Year
The Department of Education have issued the information below and asked all schools to make families aware of its contents
Families are asked to note that the closing date for payment/registering medical cards has been brought forward so that Bus Éireann can process applications, arrange transport and issue tickets to families as soon as possible for the 2023/24 school year.
1. New Applicants – Apply By 28TH APRIL 2023 The Bus Éireann family portal is now open for new applications for school transport services for the 2023/24 school year. New applications are considered as:
pupils who will be attending junior infants in primary school or first year in post-primary school for the first time in 2023.
pupils that may move home address or will be attending a new school in the 2023/24 school year
Applications can be made by visiting www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport The closing date for new applications is Friday 28 April 2023. Any new applications made after the closing date are considered late applications and families are not guaranteed a seat.
2. All Applicants- payment/enter medical card details – closing date 9 June 2023 The Bus Éireann family portal will be open to accept payments/medical card details from the 3 April 2023 until the 9 June 2023. Payments made after the deadline date will be deemed late and families are not guaranteed a seat at that stage. Payments/medical card details must be submitted for:
new applicants, and;
pupils who have previously applied/availed of school transport and require a seat on a service for the 23/24 school year.
Children (who are eligible for school transport) and who possess valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge however, their medical card details must be submitted to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann will accept medical card details from 3 April 2023 until 9 June 2023. Medical card details received after 9 of June deadline are considered late. Families are strongly urged to make sure that they pay/enter valid medical card details on or before the deadline of 9 of June 2023.
The Annual Charge for School Transport Services for the 2023/24 school year is set out below:
Primary Eligible/ Concessionary pupil €50
Post-primary Eligible/ Concessionary pupil €75
Maximum annual charge for families €125
3. Eligibility Criteria The eligibility criteria for School Transport for the 2023/24 school year is as follows:
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
In addition, temporary alleviation measures will continue for the 2023/24 school year, pending completion of the school transport scheme review. This means that transport will be provided where such services are in operation for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who apply and pay on time.
4. Pupils from Ukraine
Pupils from Ukraine who require school transport should not apply on the Bus Éireann family portal but should visit gov.ie/ukraine for details on how to apply. Please note that any pupils from Ukraine who are currently on school transport do not need to re-apply for the 2023/24 school year unless they have changed address or school