Northern Distributor Road

The Government’s decision not to proceed with the second phase of the Northern Distributor Road lacks strategic vision. The Clare side of the University of Limerick campus needs to be developed for the benefit of the university, Clare, Limerick and the wider region, and sustainable travel links should be central to that development. The Government has sadly neglected these imperatives. 

School Transport Services / Tickets

Bus Éireann Payment Portal is now open. Payment Deadline Date for 2021/22 School Year is 30 July 2021

Deadline date for payment / submitting medical card details for the 2021/22 school year is Friday, 30 July 2021.

To allow for planning of school transport services for the new school year, that are aligned to public health advice, the Family Portal will close after the payment deadline and will not re-open until 20 August 2021.  It will not be possible to submit an application or payment for Primary/Post Primary transport for the new school year during this period.

You may still may make a payment following this date, but you cannot be guaranteed a seat, according to Bus Éireann.

Important Message to Medical Card Holders

Department of Education states: Unfortunately, the medical card verification system used as payment for school transport tickets is currently unavailable due to the cyberattack on the HSE systems.  While this issue is outside of our control, we are working with the HSE to find a resolution as soon as possible. Bus Éireann is communicating directly with existing medical card holders in relation to processing their applications, and we have rolled forward their child’s medical card details used successfully for payment last year as payment for their 21/22 school transport ticket, where their child continues to be eligible for transport. For a large number of parents, they will have nothing further to do.

Information note relating to refunds for the unused portion of tickets following closure of schools arising from public health measures relating to Covid-19 restrictions.

Bus Éireann has commenced 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. Bus Éireann is managing this refund process on behalf of the Department of Education.

More than 42,000 families who paid fees for school transport relating to the 2020/21 school year are set to receive refunds. Queries should be emailed to Covid19Refunds@buseireann.ie.

Full information is available at https://www.buseireann.ie/SchoolRefunds

School Transport On-Line Application / Tickets

To use School Transport Scheme Services, pupils must be in possession of a valid ticket for travel.

School Transport Applications 2021/2022

Bus Éireann’s on-line application system for school transport is now open for the 2021/22 school year.

The closing date for School Transport Applications is Friday, 30 April, 2021.

How to Apply

Apply on-line now @ www.buseireann.ie\schooltransport

Submitting Statement of Attendance Form during the current Covid-19 Period of Restrictions

Important Information regarding school administration issues during the current public health emergency

Schools administration during the current public health emergency

Related Links:

School Transport Refunds To Be Issued From Today

Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has received confirmation from the Department of Education that school transport refunds will be issued on a staged basis over the next six weeks.

Responding to a Parliamentary Question by Deputy McNamara on the matter, Minister Norma Foley confirmed that Bus Éireann will from today (30 June) 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.

Deputy McNamara, who first raised the issue of refunds with Minister Foley in Dáil Éireann on 3rd March has welcomed the news.

“This is the correct decision by the Department of Education as thousands of parents will have paid in advance for transport to schools which were shut through no fault of their own or the Minister,” he stated.

Deputy McNamara added, “The refund due for each primary school student is €31, with the figure rising to €108.50 per post primary school student. From today, families will receive an email from Bus Éireann if they are eligible for a refund. The refund will be automatically made to the bank card used to make the payment, or by cheque if a card wasn’t used. Bus Éireann says refunds will be issued to all entitled family account holders starting from 30th June until mid-August.”

In response to Deputy McNamara’s Parliamentary Question, Minister Foley confirmed, “School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.”

Further information is available from the Bus Éireann website at https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=710.

Clare Bus

In Dáil Éireann today, I called on the National Transport Authority and Minister for Transport to review the decision to cancel a two-year contract won by Clare Bus in December to operate 12 routes. This move has threatened jobs and has undermined the future provision of Local Link services in Clare.

Reverse Clare Bus decision

I have submitted a request to the National Transport Authority and Minister for Transport to immediately review the decision to cancel a two-year contract won by Clare Bus in December to operate 12 routes. This move threatens jobs and undermines the future provision of Local Link services in Clare. I would ask that any decision be reversed until the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has passed after which a comprehensive review should be carried out.