Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make known the costs of engaging a private bus contractor to bring children to school in Glenamaddy and Glinsk in County Galway; the reason this contractor is still engaged, when the original reason for hiring the contractor was to ensure that all passengers had a seat with a seat belt, Bus Éireann now having installed seat belts on all their buses; the facility or mechanism that exists to ensure that moneys granted to Bus Éireann by his Department is spent efficiently and to ensure full oversight of expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58117/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport schemes, on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the negotiation and awarding of school transport contracts to private operators. The cost of individual routes or services is regarded as commercially sensitive.

School transport services are operated by a mix of public and private operators and the network is reviewed on an ongoing basis, ensuring that these services continue to be provided in the most economic and efficient manner. All school buses operating under the School Transport Scheme, both Bus Éireann buses and contractors buses, provide an adult seat, fitted with a safety belt, for each child.

According to a recent Value for Money study conducted as part of the 2009-2011 reviews approved by Government, the scheme is managed in a highly effective and efficient manner by Bus Éireann.

Bus Éireann maintains a separate account for the School Transport Scheme, which is audited each year by independent auditors. Audited accounts in respect of the last number of years are available on my Department's website.