Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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115. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of appeals made to the school transport appeals board over each of the past ten years, by county, in tabular form; the number of appeals that were successful and not successful respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5005/17]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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116. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the school transport appeals board has ever made a recommendation to his Department regarding the operation of the school transport scheme, as is provided for in the terms of reference to the board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5006/17]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has sought the advice of the school transport appeals board regarding the operation of the school transport scheme; the frequency with which this advice has been sought since the value for money review changes were implemented; if the advice of the board was sought in respect of the review on concessionary charges and rules carried out before Christmas 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5007/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 115 to 117, inclusive, together.

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

Currently in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

The School Transport Appeals Board is independent of my Department.

Under the terms of reference of the Board, the Board determines appeals against decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Department of Education and Skills regarding the provision of school transport services and/or grant-aid under the terms of the School Transport Schemes.

As previously advised, no comprehensive review of the implementation of the recommendations arising from the value for money review of the school transport scheme has been undertaken. While the Board was advised of the review of concessionary charges and rules element of the school transport scheme, the Board was not asked to make a submission.

The Board has made recommendations in relation to particular appeals in which it has sought a review of the original decision taken having regard to additional information which had been submitted to the Board. General comments such as keeping the relevant web pages updated in relation to the operation of the school transport scheme have also been made.

The Programme for Government commits to a review of the criteria and guidelines for the School Transport Appeals Board.

The level of detail requested by the Deputy is not available over a ten year period. However, I can advise that since 2014, 583 appeals were made to the Board, none of which were upheld. However, a number of appeals were referred by the Board to my Department's School Transport Section for clarification and/or further consideration arising from additional information which came to light during the appeals process.