Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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230. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the circumstances of a person (details supplied); when the person can expect to receive their entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7485/18]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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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.

The child in question is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs and has been sanctioned for transport by School Transport Section.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the procurement of contractors to provide services for school transport purposes. Unfortunately to date, Bus Éireann has been unable to secure the services of a suitable contractor.

In the interim, the Department is prepared to offer the family in question a Special Transport Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.