John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. This is a complex issue in the sense that the school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. Approximately 113,000 children, including 10,000 children with special educational needs, are transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles each school day. The overall costs of the scheme have reduced by 7% since 2008 as a result of policy changes and other efficiencies, and this has had an effect on the scheme. One of its main objectives is to ensure that, as far as possible, eligible children have a reasonable service while, at the same time, ensuring school transport vehicles are fully utilised in an efficient and cost-effective manner. One of the impacts of the policy changes introduced in recent years is that there has been a reduction in the number of eligible pupils availing of school transport places and an increase in the number of pupils availing of places on a concessionary basis. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.

In general, children are eligible for school transport if they meet the requisite distance criterion and are attending their nearest school having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may avail of school transport on a concessionary basis only; the demand for transport on a concessionary basis is mainly from families whose children who are not attending their nearest school. Transport on a concessionary basis is subject to a number of terms and conditions including that there are spare seats available on an existing school bus service and on payment of the annual charge.

The programme for Government commits to review the concessionary charges and rules element of the school transport scheme prior to budget 2017.

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