Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 580: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the percentage of the school buses that are privately owned; the number of buses owned by Bus Éireann; if he is satisfied that full use is being made of the Bus Éireann buses at times other than those necessary for the transport of school children; his views on whether alternative uses such as for tours or functions could minimise the cost of the school transport system as is being done in other jurisdictions such as Canada; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35584/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Under the School Transport Scheme over 80% of the school buses used are privately owned, most of these being small and medium sized buses. The number of Bus Eireann school buses in use fluctuates on a monthly basis as more modern buses are introduced and others are withdrawn from service on a continual basis throughout the School Year. However, Bus Eireann use about 620 of their own buses to provide school transport each day, almost all of which are large capacity vehicles.

Currently 18 Bus Eireann school buses, and 9 privately owned school buses under contract, are also used to provide one day a week rural transport services organised by Bus Eireann in the middle of the day between class times without impinging on the school transport timetable. The cost of providing these services neither increases nor reduces the cost of school transport provided by my Department and in the same way the expanded use of school buses for this purpose would not impact on the cost of school transport provision.