Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of money saved by his Department as a result of the changes to the primary and post primary school transport schemes; the number of children who have been determined to be ineligible for school transport since the changes were introduced; the number who have been deemed ineligible but avail of concessionary transport; the number with medical cards who are availing of concessionary school transport to a school that is not their nearest school, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11033/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Between 2010 and 2014 the changes recommended in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme contributed to a reduction of some €9m in the overall cost of school transport provision.

Currently there are some 114,000 children availing of school transport services on a daily basis.

Bus Éireann has advised that it is not possible to determine the number of children who have been deemed ineligible for school transport since the introduction of the changes. However, there are currently over 22,000 children availing of mainstream school transport on a concessionary basis. Children who are eligible for school transport and who hold valid Medical Cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.

Children who are not eligible for school transport and who are availing of school transport on a concessionary basis must pay the annual charge. For this reason the number of medical card holders availing of concessionary transport is not available.