About School Transport
The School Transport Scheme provides transport to and from school for children who live remote from their nearest school. The scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.
Applying for School Transport
Ticket Fees and Payment Options
Concessionary Transport
Terms & Conditions
Primary School Transport Scheme Information
Post Primary School Transport Scheme Information
Transport scheme for Children with Special Education Needs
School Transport Appeals Process
Data Protection
Applying for School Transport
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 online here
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 may not be guaranteed a seat.
Details of all existing pupils who currently hold tickets are already recorded and the email address provided in the registration process previously is used to communicate with families each summer when it is time to pay the school transport charges for the forthcoming school year.
For applications for pupils with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability, please refer to the section ‘Transport for Children with Special Education Needs’.
The Bus Éireann family portal will be open to accept payments from 3 April until 9 June 2023. Payments made after the deadline date will be deemed late and families may not be guaranteed a seat at that stage.
Payments must be submitted by for new applicants and also for pupils who have previously 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 until 9 June 2023. Medical card details received after 9 June deadline are considered late. Applicants who apply and submit their medical card details on time will be prioritised.
Families are strongly urged to make sure that they pay/enter valid medical card details on or before the deadline of 9 June 2023.
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Ticket Fees and Payment Options
The Annual Charge for School Transport Services for the 2023/24 school year is set out below:
Primary School Transport: €50 per child
For Account Holders with 3 or more children in the Primary School Transport scheme, a maximum family charge of €125 will apply
Post Primary School Transport: €75 per child
For Account Holders with 2 or more children in the Post Primary School Transport scheme, a maximum family charge of €125 will apply
Concessionary Transport
Children who are not eligible, under the terms of the schemes may apply to Bus Éireann on a concessionary basis. The conditions are:
- that Bus Éireann determines that a suitable service exists to school or education centre
- that the service has spare capacity
- that routes are not extended or altered, additional vehicles are not introduced, larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles are not provided. No additional State cost is incurred
- that the appropriate annual charge is paid, Medical Cards are not applicable
Availability may vary from year to year and is not available on public scheduled services. Concessionary transport cannot be guaranteed for the duration of the school cycle.
Bus Éireann determines the allocation of the tickets when the number of applications exceeds the number of seats available.
Terms & Conditions of School Transport
- All applications are processed and eligibility is determined in line with the rules of the Department of Education School Transport Schemes.
- All passenger tickets are issued subject to bye-laws, regulations and conditions contained in the publications and notices of or applicable to Bus Éireann.
- Request of a ticket is deemed to imply acceptance of these conditions.
- Request of a ticket does not guarantee a seat on a School Transport Service. Those not accommodated will have their payment refunded once seating has been fully allocated.
- No pupil will be allowed to travel without a current valid School Transport Travel Ticket.
- Any application for a refund where a ticket has been purchased and received but is then not required, must be submitted online and the School Transport Travel Ticket must be returned to your local Bus Éireann School Transport Office (with the exception of those who cannot be catered for due to lack of accommodation).
- School Transport Travel Tickets are not transferable.
- School Transport Travel Tickets must be carried at all times when travelling and must be produced for inspection by the driver or any authorised official of Bus Éireann. School Transport Travel Tickets must be surrendered to an authorised company official upon request, and in any event at the end of the School Term.
- School Transport Travel Tickets are only valid for travel between the locations indicated on the ticket.
- School Transport Travel Tickets may only be used for travel to and from school on school days during the School Term.
The Terms & Conditions which apply to the purchase of tickets issued under the School Transport Scheme may be amended at any time at the discretion of Bus Éireann and/or the Department of Education.
Primary School Transport Scheme
The Primary School Transport Scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, having regard to language and ethos.
For the purposes of school transport provision, ethos relates to the religious ethos of minority religion schools, while language relates to the Irish or English language. In practice this means that:
- Children who, for reasons of their religious ethos, choose to attend their nearest minority religion denominational school may be eligible for school transport to that school, even if it is not their nearest school/li>
- Children who choose to attend their nearest all-Irish school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school
- Children who choose to attend their nearest all-English school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school
Full details of the Primary School Transport Scheme can be found here.
Post Primary School Transport Scheme Information
The Post Primary School Transport Scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary education centre/school.
Under the terms of the Department's Post-Primary School Transport Scheme children may be eligible for transport where they reside 4.8 kilometres or more from their nearest education centre, subject to limited exceptions relating to ethos and language. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the post-primary school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest education centre/school, subject to limited exceptions.
For the purposes of school transport provision, ethos relates to the religious ethos of minority religion schools, while language relates to the Irish or English language. In practice this means that:
- Children who, for reasons of their religious ethos, choose to attend their nearest minority religion denominational school may be eligible for school transport to that school, even if it is not their nearest school.
- Children who choose to attend their nearest all-Irish school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.
- Children who choose to attend their nearest all-English school/unit may be eligible for school transport to that school/unit, even if it is not their nearest school.
Full details of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme can be found here.
Transport for Children with Special Education Needs
The purpose of the scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.
Application forms should be completed and signed by the parent, school principal and the Special Education Needs Organiser. Please visit the Department of Education’s own website for more details.
Full details of the Scheme can be found here.
Data Protection
Bus Éireann adheres to the principles of the Data Protection Act, 1988 & 2003 when collecting, processing, storing and disclosing personal data.
Bus Éireann is the Data Controller with regard to personal data collected for school transport applications. Applicants may access their personal data following an access request under S.4 of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003.
The personal data collected from you will be used by Bus Éireann to provide and manage school transport services in accordance with the terms of the school transport schemes. Bus Éireann may share your data with Third Parties solely for the purpose of providing and managing the school transport services. Personal data will be retained by Bus Éireann for the period during which school transport services are provided and for a further period of up to 6 years.