Minister for Education Norma Foley TD today encouraged all Wexford families who require school transport services to complete their applications on the Bus Éireann family portal before the closing date of 9 June.
The Bus Éireann family portal will then close until 30 June 2023 and it will not be possible to make a late application, or make a delayed payment or delayed entry of medical card details, until the family portal reopens. This is necessary so that Bus Éireann can process applications, arrange transport and issue tickets to families as soon as possible for the 2023/24 school year. Bus Éireann plans to issue eligible tickets from July.
Tickets will be issued to eligible students who have applied and paid/entered medical card details on time. After this allocation is complete, where seats are available, concessionary tickets will be issued.
Any application made or payment made after this date will be late, and eligible students are not guaranteed a ticket.
Minister Foley said: “There has been an unprecedented number of new applications for school transport for the 23/24 school year and to date approximately 119,000 pupils’ tickets have been confirmed by payment or entering of medical card details.
“This year the fees for school transport have been capped at €50 for a primary school ticket and €75 for a post-primary ticket, as a Government response to the rising cost of living. As a result the maximum amount any family will pay on school transport for the school year is €125 – a potential saving of up to €500.
“I encourage all families who have not yet completed their applications or submitted their medical card details to do so before the closing date of 9 June.
“There has been a significant campaign to inform parents, and all returning families have been contacted directly to advise of the closing date.
“Families can complete their application online through the Bus Éireann family portal at buseireann.ie/schooltransport.”
The Bus Éireann family portal is open for payments for school transport for the 2023 / 2024 school year until 9 June.
Bus Éireann has put in place a dedicated customer care call centre and a contact form on buseireann.ie/schooltransport to assist families specifically with school transport queries during the busy summer period. Families that have queries can contact the call centre on: LoCall 0818 919 910. Operating hours are 09.00 – 17.00 Monday to Friday.
