Mr. Gerry Gannon:

The school transport scheme is evolving. During Celtic tiger years, there was a tremendous expansion of the scheme. For example, in the two years pre-2008, 2006 and 2007, the three for two seating ratio was abolished. In addition, seat belts were required on school transport scheme services. Therefore, there was considerable investment in the scheme. Effectively, an extra seat was required for every third child carried at that time so that each would have an adult seat. Expenditure was incurred to do that. In 2005 to 2007, the number of new services we introduced on the special needs side of the operation had multiplied tenfold compared to ten years previously. Between 1995 and 1998, an average of 30 new services were introduced every year. Between 2005 and 2008, an average of 300 services were introduced every year, the vast majority being for special needs. While the scheme was expanding at that massive rate the scope to make the savings, which we have made subsequently, was not available then.