Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider directly subsidising schools for the provision of their own school transport through the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19188/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The school transport system is organised on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills by Bus Éireann. There is significant private sector engagement in the delivery of services with 85%, or approximately 3,300 of the vehicles used, owned by private operators. Moreover, this percentage will increase over time.

The system was reviewed in a value for money review that was published earlier this year. In this context, options were considered, including options that would not involve school transport being centrally organised. However, the report concluded that, particularly in the context of the complexities of deciding on eligibility for, procuring and developing networks for, school transport, a single national organiser with a regional dimension to operate the scheme is required. I do not believe a school transport system could operate effectively were those administrative burdens to be imposed on individual schools.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Before discussing the school transport issue, I wish to put on record my thanks to the Minister for his logical decision to retain the Kerry Education Service as a stand-alone entity. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, for his response and for the time and effort he has devoted to this issue, which he has inherited and with which he has been landed. It has caused great concern in rural Ireland in particular and I am anxious to find a solution.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Could the Deputy frame a question please?

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Yes. While it is understood that savings must be made, the feasibility should be investigated of making the requisite savings from the overall budget and then allocating the funding directly to schools which in turn could seek tenders from private contractors. Will the Minister of State investigate that proposal? The money being sought could be saved in a single year rather than over a number of years. Moreover, this proposal would ensure those people in rural areas who sought buses would get them.

In addition, is it possible to make available the details concerning the 150 routes that are to be lost next September? People in my constituency and elsewhere have raised this point with me and I wish to ascertain whether such information can be made available.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I am no great champion of Bus Éireann and have been highly critical of the company in the past for the predatory and anti-competitive practices in which it sometimes has engaged. I refer to instances in which private operators that had identified profitable routes had their buses followed around the city by Bus Éireann buses in an attempt to stymie the success of those routes. However, it is important to point out Bus Éireann's role in providing the national transport system for schools. It is an extremely onerous role and no other entity exists at present - I stress at present - that has the corporate capacity or knowledge to provide this service. I will run through Bus Éireann's role in the provision of school transport to illustrate this point. It is responsible for the procurement of and payments in respect of approximately 1,400 private operators that are needed to deliver the services and must ensure that each contractor, driver and vehicle procured meets all relevant tax and legislative compliance criteria, including child protection vetting. It processes every single primary school transport application, liaises with the transport liaison officers in the VECs in respect to post-primary applications and assesses eligibility for pupils across the entire school network. Bus Éireann is involved in the design, constant renewal and revision of the 6,000 routes that are needed to pick up and drop off children each year. It also is responsible for collecting parental contributions centrally and providing an online payment facility. Finally, the company undertakes the day-to-day supervision and monitoring of service performance, standards and safety.

Given the practical issues in which Bus Éireann is involved on a daily basis, I do not consider there to be any opportunity at present for establishing another entity that somehow could take over its role. Effectively, what is in place at present is virtually a model public private partnership in which Bus Éireann oversees the process at a national level, while 85% of the routes are provided by the private sector.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As we are running out of time, Deputy Griffin may wish to ask another question.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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In particular, I seek information on the 150 routes that face an immediate threat. Serious concern is being expressed on this matter in rural areas, including in my constituency in County Kerry, particularly regarding the change from seven to ten in the minimum pupil number qualification criterion, which effectively means routes will be lost for some people.

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Back in 2001, the requirement to establish a service was a minimum of ten pupils. This was changed by the then Minister to seven pupils and the cost of operating the school transport system rose by €20 million the following year. Bus Éireann has established in recent months that potentially, 600 routes could be lost but it then carried out a forensic and in-depth analysis of the aforementioned routes. On concluding that analysis, the company decided that for a substantial number of those routes, taking them off the road would not provide any real saving to the Exchequer. The number has been reduced from 600 routes to 150. It is my understanding that those schools which will lose their bus service will be informed of this loss in the near future. I will endeavour to provide the Deputy with a list in order that he can be better informed.