Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 252: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to co-ordinate transport services between school transport, rural transport and Health Service Executive transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18583/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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My Department is co-operating fully in the development of practical initiatives, led by the Department of Transport, to promote coordination of State supported transport services such as school transport, rural transport and the Health Service Executive transport services. Bus Éireann which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of this Department is involved in this process. My priority is not only to ensure optimum efficency and effectiveness between all programmes which receive State support including school transport which, with a budget of €180 million is a significant area of expenditure, but also to establish how this work can assist in meeting the €17 million savings target in respect of the school transport budget by 2014.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the savings that will accrue this year from the implementation of ten as the eligible number of children to retain or establish a school transport service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18584/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the savings that will accrue this year from the application of the distance criteria for all pupils attending primary schools and availing of the school transport scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18585/11]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together.

The changes relating to the Primary School Transport Scheme derive from decisions of the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government to implement recommendations in the School Transport Value for Money review and the need to obtain savings under the four year national recovery plan.

The decisions announced cover the uniform application of the distance requirement, cessation of the Closed/Central School Rule (CSR), the minimum number of eligible children required to establish and retain services and the introduction of charges for eligible primary pupils.

It is essential to stress that the wider context within which all these changes are taking place, is a situation of the most serious financial difficulties. Under the four year recovery plan, there is a requirement to deliver savings of €17 million on the school transport budget and these measures are an integral part of this.