Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children for whom taxi or other transport services are currently provided in accessing services such as speech therapy; the areas of the country in which these children live; the strategy which is in place to reduce the need to travel by providing services locally, where possible; the safety standards which are applied for these children while travelling; the amount such transport cost in 2005 and its estimated cost in 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15854/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Éireann is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the school transport service on behalf of my Department.

Over 135,000 children are carried on school transport services each day to primary and post-primary schools including about 8,000 children with special educational needs. The cost of transporting children with special educational needs, including grants, now accounts for about 33% of the overall allocation for school transport. This amounted to €41 million in 2005 and the estimated cost for 2006 will be €50 million.

Bus Éireann endeavours to provide the best possible transport service for children with special needs. The size of vehicle required is determined by the number of special needs pupils requiring the service and the suitability of the vehicle to meet the requirements of the pupil. The Deputy will appreciate that it is not always possible to facilitate a child, by virtue of his or her special needs, on a regular school transport service. Furthermore, many children with special needs travel long distances from home to school and individual school transport, such as a taxi service, may be deemed to be the most suitable and appropriate mode of transport.

My Department allocates funding to schools to enable them to employ escorts on school transport services. These escorts are specifically engaged by the schools to cater for children with special educational needs whose care requirements are such as to necessitate continuous support. These escorts are a valuable service for children with special needs who require assistance.

The provision of a speech therapy service is a matter for the Health Service Executive. My Department has no responsibility to provide transport, the sole purpose of which is to enable children attend speech therapy sessions.