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

381. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of consultation, dialogue and engagement that is required of schools and other relevant agencies, including ETBs, with bus operators, including Bus Éireann, in advance of change of times for the school day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55139/17]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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

Currently over 115,000 children, including almost 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

It is a matter for individual school authorities to decide the opening and closing times of their school. Bus Éireann has no role in this process but in doing so and particularly in circumstances where children rely on school transport services to get to school, it is reasonable to expect that the implications for families and for the operation of school transport services will be considered. Although not always made aware of changes in school times in advance, Bus Éireann is available to work with schools to advise what is operationally feasible bearing in mind that in most cases the bus providing the school transport service to one school is also required to operate a separate service to another school as part of a local network of coordinated school transport services.

Consultation between all parties would help to ensure that the most efficient service can be provided for the benefit of the families and schools served as well as continuing to provide the local network of services in the most economic fashion on behalf of the taxpayer.