The Government’s Post Primary School Transport Scheme exists to support the transport to and from school of students who reside 4.8 kilometres or more from their nearest school. The scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills (DES). This scheme and associated documentation are available on the Department’s website here.
Over the years, applications by families for school transport to Educate Together second-level schools have been deemed ineligible, where applicants reside closer to other alternative school types. As a result, under the current terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, some families who wish to send their children to an Educate Together second-level school cannot access the transport facilities under the same terms as parents who wish to send their children to denominational schools.
Educate Together and a number of families and Educate Together schools have challenged the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme as unfair to parents accessing Educate Together’s equality-based model of education. Educate Together has raised this issue with Department officials and will continue to do so where possible and where resources allow.
Queries regarding this scheme should be addressed to the Department:
School Transport Section, Department of Education & Skills, Portlaoise Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly / Phone No. 057- 9325466/7.
The greater diversity of school type available to communities, the less will be the need for families to avail of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme. Educate Together endeavours to expand existing second-level school provision and to support the opening of new Educate Together second-level schools when there is demand.
The Educate Together national office’s advocacy campaigns and Government submissions can be accessed here.
