Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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101. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will explain what the item return to risk for Bus Éireann means as it appears in the Bus Éireann bill for school transport posted on his website; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41579/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I take it the Deputy is referring to the Bus Eireann Audited Accounts 2010 Explanatory Note on the Department website. The administration heading, amounting to €18.2m in 2010, covers some direct costs, indirect support costs, indirect regional costs, property and a contribution. This figure was reduced to €16.7m in 2011. A breakdown of both the 2010 and 2011 figures is available on the Committee of Public Accounts website.

The contribution element - €4.6m in 2010 and €3.5m in 2011 - provides funds for specific capital investment in School Transport services and administration for example IT to deliver future cost savings, a portion of general capital investment for example garage equipment that serves all three businesses – Commercial, PSO and School Transport, reduction of cost base through voluntary severance for schools staff (direct and support) and a return to risk associated with School Transport business. Return to risk relates to a contingency which can only be used to defray costs arising from any of the risks associated with Bus Eireann's operation and management of the School Transport Scheme. The school transport element is a €160m scheme and employs a significant number of staff, directly and indirectly.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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102. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason school transport is more expensive here than anywhere else in the western world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41580/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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School Transport was the subject of a Value for Money Review carried out as part of the 2009-2011 round of Value for Money Reviews. This review, which is available on my Department's website, looked in detail at the various cost factors impacting on the provision of school transport including the scale of provision for children with special educational needs, levels of parental choice and the eligibility criteria underpinning the scheme. I should add that inter-country comparisons are difficult given variability in these factors.

Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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103. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason maintenance charges for buses in the school bus fleet owned by Bus Éireann are over five times higher than similar charges for maintenance in Northern Ireland; his views on whether his Department is being overcharged for maintenance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41581/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Safety is Bus Éireann's highest priority and this is reflected in the company's vehicle maintenance process and procedures. The report of the School Transport Value for the Money Review noted, for example, that random checks of maintenance standards and audits of maintenance records including contractors' school buses and their maintenance premises, conducted on behalf of Bus Éireann by internationally recognised experts in the field of vehicle maintenance systems and safety standards, are at a higher standard than usual tests.

This investment in best practice vehicle maintenance improves the standards of all vehicles that are used to provide services under the School Transport Scheme nationally, and not only those operated directly by Bus Éireann. In addition Bus Éireann conducts thorough six-weekly preventative maintenance checks incorporating stringent safety inspections on all of its school transport vehicles, as well as other measures that are in addition to and designed to further enhance statutory vehicle safety standard requirements. This investment in best practice maintenance systems is reflected in the costs.