Minister for Education Norma Foley has confirmed that parents will be able to claim for the cost of alternative school transport if their children cannot social distance on school buses.
Earlier, it was revealed that school buses for secondary students would operate at 50 per cent capacity.
Officials are in discussions with Bus Éireann ahead of the re-opening of schools in the next couple of weeks.
Ms Foley says if parents opt for other transport options they will be refunded the cost.
"We will offer parents facilities to provide transport themselves and we will recompense them for doing that," said Ms Foley.
"The important thing here is we must recognise this is a department being proactive, recognising that as we journey through COVID, we must be flexible, resilient and we are doing all that needs to be done," she added.
Responding to the decision to operate secondary school buses at 50 per cent capacity, General Secretary of the NBRU Dermot O'Leary says it may take a few weeks to implement the measure.
"It's just not logistically possible to move to 50 per cent for post-primary schools in advance of the schools opening.
"For a number of weeks, in order for us to get to the point where we can comply with the guidelines, students will be travelling on a full capacity issue," said Mr O'Leary.
