Written answers

Wednesday, 12 July 2017

Department of Education and Skills

School Transport Provision

Photo of Martin HeydonMartin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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166. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are grants or financial supports available through his Department that can be used towards the cost of school buses in circumstances in which passenger numbers have increased significantly as in a case (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33417/17]

Photo of John HalliganJohn Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 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 purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

Bus Éireann is responsible for procuring contractors to provide services for school transport purposes.

Private operators wishing to tender for school transport services should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office.

There are no direct financial supports available from my Department, for operators who wish to upgrade their vehicles. 

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