Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

All these issues have been reviewed in recent years. While I am subject to correction on the date, I understand it was 2001 when a complete review was undertaken on distances and improvements on eligibility were made, allowing more people to avail of the service. The rules and regulations on distance have been made easier. The annual cost of providing school transport stands at €100 million a year. Up to 140,000 pupils are looked after on a daily basis on over 5,000 routes. Approximately 8,000 pupils with special needs are also looked after by the scheme. The scheme is reviewed on an ongoing basis. There have been provisions in recent years to improve eligibility where distance is concerned.

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