To ask the Minister of Education to detail (i) when the school transport exceptional circumstances appeals process was first established by the Education Authority; (ii) the number of appeals received since its inception; and (iii) the number of appeals that were in respect of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs.

Appeals on the grounds of exceptional circumstances in respect of school transport assistance are provided for in Section 8 of the Department of Education Circular 1996/41 (updated 2009). Such appeals were administered by legacy board structures until 2017/18 when the current transport appeals process was established as a result of the Education Authority ( EA) Transport Service being regionalised.

The EA has provided the information below in relation to the number of transport appeals received on the basis of exceptional circumstances. Records are only available from 2017/18 when the EA transport service was regionalised.

The EA has advised that it does not formally record whether or not a pupil has a statement of Special Educational Needs when an appeal is received.