Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the payment per child to the private companies running the school bus programme; the way the payment is calculated; and the economic factors taken into consideration regarding the costs of running such a programme. [13577/09]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to advise the Deputy that negotiations with school bus operators regarding school bus contracts are a matter between Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport service on behalf of my Department, and the operators. There are currently over 1,400 operators, including taxi operators, providing services and the daily rates depend on the size of vehicle and mileage involved for particular services. They are not paid a rate per child. The School Transport Scheme currently facilitates the transportation of over 135,000 children, including children with special needs, to primary and post-primary schools each day.

In 2007, the amount paid by my Department to Bus Éireann was €146.620 million, which included €96.445 million towards the cost of employing private contractors. The provisional estimated figures in respect of 2008 are €162.5m and €108.2m respectively. A Steering Committee to oversee a Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme, including catchment boundaries, has been established. The aim is to complete the review by the end of 2009. The Steering Committee is looking at the original objectives of the scheme, whether these objectives remain valid today, the extent to which the objectives are being achieved and whether there are possibilities for economies or efficiencies that would improve the value for money of the scheme. In this context, the review will also look at fundamental issues such as catchment boundaries which is in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government.