Written answers

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport Administration

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the total number of routes, the total number of children carried and the cost per child carried for primary and post-primary schools; the total revenue of Bus Éireann and the percentage increase or decrease year on year from 2004 to date under the school transport scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22327/14]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

YearSome 6,000 routes annually; Number of Vehicles (The majority of mainstream vehicles and some SEN vehicles operate 2 or more routes) Total number of children transported (including concessionary)*Primary: Cost per child week (based on eligible only including SEN pupils)

*Post Primary: Cost per child week (based on eligible only)

Revenue; Total net chargeable by BE to DES

€m
Revenue: Parental Charges

€m
Total combined net amount chargeable and parental charges

€m
% increase/ decrease
20042922136,00029.44

6.26
17.26

11.93
94,5586,317100,875
20053164136,00033.14

6.41
19.27

12.11
105,9836,611112,59411.6%
20063474134,00039.32

6.15
23.59

12.68
128,0846,634134,71819.6%
20073741136,00044.22

7.13
26.04

12.83
146,1526,626152,77813.4%
20083820135,00049.33

7.42
28.78

13.88
162,0248,751170,77511.8%
20093830125,00049.92

7.74
31.3

15.73
159,36911,628170,9970.1%
20103874121,00048.35

7.71
29.15

16.42
154,02611,651165,677-3.1%
20113806123,00052.28

9.51
29.15

16.55
151,80411,486163,290-1.4%
20123854113,00056.87

17.36
30.71

16.78
149,47712,570162,047-0.8%
20133888115,00058.86

14.80
31.85

18.53
149,82512,772162,5970.3%

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that Bus Éireann made an internal calculation that it saved his Department €30 million due to efficiencies of Bus Éireann in the provision of the service and Bus Éireann claimed the majority of this €30 million was spent on new services provided by Bus Éireann over the period specified, if he will provide in a year-on-year tabular form the alleged savings made in each category of charge as set out in the format as in the annual statement of account for direct costs and also the categories for indirect costs charges as tabulated in FGS report (2009) page 9, table 1.4, for each year that Bus Éireann claimed the total savings of €30 million over the said years as claimed by Bus Éireann to the transport and communications committee on 7 May 2014 in respect of school transport; if he will provide in tabular form the €30 million in extra services provided over the same said period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22329/14]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Bus Éireann undertook to provide the Oireachtas Transport and Communications Committee, of which the Deputy is a member, with details of the breakdown of the savings due to efficiencies and details of the new "demand led" services provided, as outlined to the Committee in general terms on 7th May. This information is currently being compiled by Bus Éireann under three main headings namely the savings from the reorganisation of services each school year since 2008/2009 due to a combination of factors, the new "demand led" services and the amount of the rebate to the Department on the Transport Management Charge each year since 2008. Bus Éireann has advised that this will be provided to the Committee and the Deputy shortly.

The level of detailed information in the format sought by the Deputy is not readily available.

Photo of Patrick O'DonovanPatrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

218. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a year-on-year in tabular form the categories for indirect costs charges to his Department by Bus Éireann as tabulated in FGS Report (2009) page 9, table 1.4, for each year from 1997, being ten years prior to the EU Commission State Aid Investigation C31/07 Commission Opening Statement as published in OJEU on 15 September 2007; if he will ask Bus Éireann to prepare a balance sheet for each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22330/14]

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The agreed accounting arrangements are as set out in the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements. This includes an agreed 13% charge, or transport management charge, to cover all other direct costs and indirect costs attributable to the work carried out for the Department. In recent years an element of the 13% charge has been rebated to the Department by mutual consent. The FGS report provided information in respect of indirect costs for 2007 and 2008 in the tabular form referred to by the Deputy. This information is available in a similar format from 2006 to 2014 only and I will arrange for Bus Éireann to forward this information to the Deputy. I have no plans to ask Bus Éireann to provide a balance sheet for the School Transport Scheme as this is not a requirement of the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.