Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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686. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of money Bus Éireann paid to Coras Iompair Éireann from the revenue received for school transport services from 2005 to 2016 to date, in tabular form; the purpose of these payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5743/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Bus Éireann has advised that the level of detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available.

In this regard I have asked Bus Éireann to forward the information directly to the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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687. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding school transport in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5749/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes.

Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.

Bus Éireann has advised that the set down point in question is the only suitable turning point for buses serving the schools in question.

Bus Éireann has further advised that some of the school transport services pass the schools each morning and depending on the direction that the bus is coming from, children are set down at their school. In the evening all children must travel to meet the services at a central point.

Central drop off and collection points are a common feature of the school transport scheme and the level of service available to the children in question is considered reasonable in the context of the scheme nationally.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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688. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the pay of drivers in Bus Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5752/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Bus Éireann has advised that in 2014 four hundred and twenty four part-time School Bus Drivers were employed.

The hourly rates of pay for Bus Éireann Part-time School Bus Drivers, applicable from July 2008, were as follows:

The average weekly hours during the school year in 2014 were 31.13 hours. The average weekly pay was €474. The only items which make up driver costs on the School Transport Statement of Account are the cost of drivers carrying out school transport work, payments made to Bus Éireann Part-time School Bus Drivers upon retirement and illness benefit. The School Transport Account is only charged for school transport work carried out by the drivers.

The annual statement of account prepared by Bus Éireann includes an audit opinion provided by Bus Éireann's external auditors. For 2014 and prior years the opinion states that the financial information of Bus Éireann's School Transport Scheme is prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Summary of Accounting Arrangements relating to the Transport Scheme for Primary and Post-Primary School Children dated 1 January 1975.

In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity's preparation of a School Bus Statement of Account in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity's internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the School Bus Statement of Account.

The auditors have stated that they believe that the audit evidence they have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for their audit opinion.