Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 539: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the school transport scheme contract is due for renewal; the value of the school transport scheme contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40754/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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The school transport scheme, which is operated by Bus Éireann on my Department's behalf since the late 1960s, is primarily a rural based scheme that facilitates the transportation of over 134,000 children, including about 9,000 children with special needs, to primary and post-primary schools each day. It is a major logistical operation involving about 42 million journeys over 82 million kilometres on 6,000 routes every school year. As I have no plans to change this arrangement the question of renewing a contract with Bus Éireann does not arise.

However, contracts are agreed annually between Bus Éireann and individual private operators on contract to the company under the terms of the scheme.

The amount paid to Bus Éireann in 2007 was €146.620 million which included €96.445 million towards the cost of employing private contractors.