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PRIMARY
SCHOOL
TRANSPORT SCHEME
Advance Notice
published on DES website in March 2011
The purpose of this explanatory notice is
to advise you in general of the changes to the Primary School Transport
Scheme, which will come into effect from the beginning of the 2011/2012
school year.
The changes arise from the Budget 2011
announcement and relate to the following:
1. Introduction of Charges
2.
Changes to school
transport provision under the ‘Central/Closed School Rule’
(CSR)
3.
Changes in minimum numbers
required for the establishment and retention of a service
1. Introduction of
Charges
From the commencement of the 2011/2012
school year eligible
primary pupils will be subject to an annual charge of €50 per pupil,
up to a family maximum of €110 for eligible primary pupils only. Where
families have eligible pupils availing of school transport at both
primary and post primary level, a family maximum contribution of €650
per annum will apply. Eligible pupils with a valid medical card will be
exempt from these charges.
Primary school pupils who are not
eligible for school transport, e.g. don’t meet
the distance criteria of 3.2km (2.0 miles) or are not attending their
nearest school, may apply for concessionary transport subject to the
terms of the scheme, at an annual charge of €200 per pupil, subject to a
family maximum of €650 per annum. Pupils holding a valid medical card
will not be exempt from the charge for concessionary transport.
Pupils who currently avail of free school
transport under the CSR (see below), who
reside less than 3.2km (2.0 miles) from their school of amalgamation and
who wish to continue to avail of school transport, may apply for
concessionary transport, subject to the terms of the scheme, at an
annual charge of €200 per pupil, subject to a family maximum of €650 per
annum.
Application Process
With the introduction of charges, it will
now be necessary for parents/guardians to apply directly to Bus Eireann
for school transport for all pupils who wish to avail of school
transport for the school year 2011/2012.
The enclosed Application Form should be
completed in full for pupils seeking school transport for the school
year 2011/2012 and returned to Bus Eireann
no later than 31st March 2011.
Services for the school year 2011/2012 will be planned and seats
provided based on the Application Forms that are returned by this date.
Late Applicants will not be guaranteed a seat on school transport
services.
Payment
Invoices will be issued in early July
2011 in respect of all applicants who apply on time. The Annual charge
may be paid in full by 29th
July or alternatively in two instalments, i.e. 50% by 29th July and the
remaining 50% payable by 9th December.
2. Changes to
School Transport Provision under the ‘Central/Closed School Rule
(CSR)’
Under the CSR, where a
primary school closed and amalgamated with another, pupils residing in
the closed school area are currently eligible for free transport to the
school of amalgamation even though they may reside less than 3.2km (2.0
miles) from this school.
Where a number of
schools closed and amalgamated into one new school, free transport is
currently provided for eligible pupils residing not less than 1.6 km (1
Mile) from the new central school; this arrangement is referred to as
the Central School Rule.
From the commencement
of 2011/2012 school year, the distance criteria of 3.2km (2.0 miles)
will be applied nationally and eligible pupils, currently availing of
free school transport under the CSR who reside less than 3.2km (2.0
miles) from their school of amalgamation will not be eligible for school
transport.
Current pupils who are
eligible for school transport under the CSR and who reside 3.2 km
(2.0miles) or more from their school of amalgamation will retain their
eligibility for school transport for the duration of their primary
school cycle up to a maximum of 7 years.
Bus Eireann is
assessing all pupils who currently avail of school transport under the
CSR and will notify the families affected by the above changes when this
exercise is complete. Notwithstanding this assessment, it is important
that the Application Form is completed and returned by the 31st March
2011 for all pupils who wish to avail of school transport for the school
year 2011/2012.
From the commencement
of the 2012/2013 school year, eligibility based on the CSR will cease
for all new pupils entering primary schools. Therefore from the
2012/2013 school year it may arise that siblings in a family may have
school transport eligibility to different schools in instances where
there is now a nearer open school than the school of amalgamation. The
Department acknowledges that this revision will affect some families in
the short term and is therefore providing advance notice in this regard.
3. Changes in
Minimum Numbers Required for the Establishment and Retention of
a School Transport Service
From the commencement
of the 2011/2012 school year, services with less than 10 eligible pupils
will be withdrawn. Equally, from the commencement of the 2011/2012
school year a minimum of 10 eligible pupils residing in a distinct
locality will be required to establish a service.
In light of this it is
important that the Application Form is completed and returned by 31st
march 2011 as these applications will form the basis on which decisions
will be made regarding the introduction of or retention of services.
Eligible pupils that have applied for school transport where there are
insufficient eligible pupils to warrant the retention of or the
establishment of a service may be eligible for a Remote Area Grant.
Should you wish to
seek further clarification or additional information on any of the above
please contact School Transport Section at 057 93 24 300.
Copies of this Notice
and Application Form are available online at www.education.ie or
www.buseireann.ie.
The Application Form can be
completed online at www.buseireann.ie. |
