Dáil debates

Wednesday, 18 January 2017

3:35 pm

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school bus routes in operation in each of the years from 2011 to 2016; and if his Department's policy objective is to reduce the number of children availing of school transport on a concessionary basis. [1895/17]

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The question is very simple. A number of us are trying to get to the bottom of school transport policy. It appears there has been a reduction in the number of routes and I would like the Minister of State to set out the number of bus routes operating in each of the years from 2011 to 2016.

Photo of John HalliganJohn Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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The number of bus routes rose from 5,001 in 2011 to 5,256 in 2016. In 2011, the number of taxi routes was 796. I could go through them all but I will send the details to the Deputy. The number of taxi routes increased from 796 in 2011 to 1,159 in 2016. The cost of school transport in the period rose from €171 million to approximately €182 million, and much of the increase relates to the provision of transport for children with special educational needs.

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Minister of State have the figures without special educational needs transport provision? Has there been a reduction if special educational needs transport is not included?

Photo of John HalliganJohn Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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There has not, because we are speaking about 114,000 children. There are now 25,000 pupils who travel on a concessionary basis, which is a dramatic increase.

The financial costs for 2012 were €58 million and for 2016 they were €73 million. The big increase has been in concessionary transport, which has gone up dramatically this year to €25,000.

3:45 pm

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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That is fine.