Record high of 172,000 children using school transport scheme

By Rebecca Black, PA

The number of children using the school transport scheme has increased by six per cent.

The Department of Education described the total number using the scheme this year as having reached a “record high of 172,000 pupils”, up six per cent on the 163,800 total in the 2023/24 school year.

The department said in the current 2024/25 school year, there were 172,000 children travelling daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools across the country.

These daily trips covered more than 100,000,000 kilometres, the equivalent of nearly 2,500 journeys around the world.

The children being transported on the scheme included more than 143,700 pupils travelling on primary and post-primary services, 21,500 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who had arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

Minister for Education Norma Foley said: “I’m delighted to see the increasing number of children availing of the school transport scheme because I know how important it is. It allows children to reach school safely, frees up parents to go directly to work and reduces traffic on the roads.

“Since I became Minister of Education, the number of pupils travelling on the scheme is up from 117,500 in 2019 to 172,000 now and investment in the scheme has increased by over 100 per cent, rising from €219 million in 2019 to €450 million in 2024.”

The school transport scheme is managed by Bus Eireann on behalf of the department.