Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 146: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 13; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37328/10]

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, facilitates the transportation of over 125,000 children to primary and post-primary schools each day including approximately 8,000 children with special educational needs. The purpose of the scheme is to ensure access to primary and post primary education for children, who because of where they live, might have difficulty in attending school regularly.

School transport is a very significant national operation involving about 42 million journeys and over 82 million kilometres on 6,000 routes every school year. This service is delivered using a mix of BE, both school transport and road passenger vehicles, private contractor vehicles including private operator scheduled services, and Dublin Bus, Irish Rail, DART and LUAS where practical. The scheme therefore encourages a significant reduction in daily usage of individual cars.

School Transport was also approved by Government as a topic for inclusion as part of the 2009-2011 round of Value for Money Reviews. This review looked 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 also looked at fundamental issues such as eligibility criteria and catchment boundaries, with a view to achieving efficiencies and value for money in the Scheme. The report of the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme is currently being finalised.

In a wider context, the Government's Smarter Travel policy, which is led by my colleague the Minister for Transport, pursues the need to deliver a sustainable travel and transport system by 2020, including in relation to school travel. Since the publication of the Smarter Travel Policy in February last year, work has begun on developing a national cycle competency accreditation for schoolchildren. In addition, a stakeholder advisory group has been set up in relation to the delivery of the Green Schools Travel Programme. My colleague the Minister for Transport, continues to provide financial support for the Green Schools Travel Programme through the National Transport Authority. This programme reached 144,000 schoolchildren in 482 schools by the end of 2009 and yielded an average reduction of 22% in children travelling to school by car. The approved national programme aims to reach 260,000 schoolchildren by 2012.