Payment Portal for School Transport Now Open
The facility to make a payment or enter medical card details for school transport for the 2022/23 school year is now open. You will receive notification from Bus Éireann at this time to make a payment or to enter medical card details.
Children who are eligible for transport and who hold valid Medical Cards (GMS Scheme) do not pay a charge but the child’s Medical Card details are required when making the payment.
To ensure your payment is processed on time, please logon to your BE School transport account to pay on line at www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport
Bus Éireann have put in place a dedicated School transport customer call centre facility to assist with any queries families may have throughout the busy summer period. . Queries can be made to (01) 5229991 during office hours, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5 pm
The closing date for making payment or entering medical card details is Friday 29th July 2022.
You are advised to make payment or enter medical card details by this date as those who pay late cannot be guaranteed a ticket.
Information for parents and children on using the school transport scheme services in the 2021/2022 school year is now available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool.
You will also find details on how primary, post-primary and special educational needs school transport services will operate in line with current public health advice at www.gov.ie/backtoschool.
Bus Éireann operates the school transport schemes on behalf of the Department of Education.
As part of the scheme, transport is provided to and from school for:
- children who live far from their nearest primary and post-primary school
- children with special educational needs .
The primary school transport scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who live more than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school.
For information on the scheme, including eligibility criteria see:
Primary School Transport Scheme
This document provides detailed information on the Primary School Transport Scheme.
DownloadThe post-primary school transport scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who live more than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary education centre/school. It is subject to exceptions for:
- children who choose to attend their nearest minority religious denominational school due to religious ethos 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
For information on the scheme, including eligibility criteria see:
Post-primary School Transport Scheme
This document provides detailed information on the Post-primary School Transport Scheme.
DownloadBus Éireann’s on-line application system for school transport is now open for the 2022/23 school year. Importantly, this applies only for new applicants seeking primary and/or post primary school transport for 2022/23. That includes:
- Students starting school in September 2022
- Students moving school, including those moving from primary to post-primary school
- Students who have or will move address before the 2022/23 school year
The closing date for School Transport Applications is Friday, 29th April, 2022.
It is important to apply by this date, late applicants may not be guaranteed a seat.
Apply online now at www.buseireann.ie\schooltransport .
School Transport Services will resume on Friday, 26th August 2022 for the 2022/23 school year.
To use School Transport Scheme Services, pupils must be in possession of a valid ticket for travel.
The decision taken by the Government not to re-open schools on the 6 January 2021, followed by the subsequent phased re-opening, was taken in the interest of protecting our pupils, their families, teachers and those members of the wider community and is one of the many measures taken to support efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.
Given that school transport services were not available for part of the 2020/21 school year, it was decided that at the end of the school year a refund for that period of closure will be issued to parents/guardians.
Bus Éireann who operate the School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department, will shortly commence issuing refunds to families who are due to receive a refund for the unused portion of their ticket for the period of school closures arising from public health measures/Covid-19 restrictions in the 2020/2021 school year. Families will be contacted directly by Bus Éireann when their refund is being released.
Full information is available at https://www.buseireann.ie/SchoolRefunds
Annual Charge for School Transport for the 2022/2023 School Year
For the 2022/2023 school year the annual school transport cap per family will be reduced from the current cap of €220 to €150 per family at primary level and from the current cap of €650 to €500 per family at post-primary level. The overall family maximum will be €500
DownloadChildren eligible for transport who hold valid Medical Cards (GMS Scheme) do not pay a charge. The child’s Medical Card details are required when making the payment and details may be entered online at www.buseireann.ie
In cases where the department is satisfied that your nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance you live from your next nearest school in relation to ethos and language.
To establish that the nearest school is full you must provide:
- evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school, and
- a letter from the school authorities confirming that the school was full, and
- a copy of the decision reached following an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998
This Act provides for an appeal by a parent to the secretary general of the department where a board of management of a school has refused to enrol a child. See Appeal against permanent Exclusion, Suspension or Refusal to Enrol.
The school transport scheme supports the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs that come from a diagnosed disability.
For information on the scheme, including eligibility criteria see:
School transport scheme for children with special educational needs
Information on the scheme including eligibility criteria
DownloadClick here to download Application for School Transport for Children with Special Educational Needs.
Application forms should be completed and signed by the parent, school principal and the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
Parents or pupils who are over 18 years of age may appeal a decision made by the department under the terms of the school transport schemes or grant aid under the terms of the school transport schemes.
See the School Transport Appeals website for further information.
Bus Éireann Local School Transport Office
Website:
School Transport Section
Address:
Department of Education, School Transport, Portlaoise Road
, Tullamore
, County Offaly
, R35 Y2N5
Phone number:
