Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter regarding a school bus route (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29084/18]

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 116,000 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 at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.

Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the scheme nationally.

Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Bus Éireann has advised that the pupils referred to by the deputy all have a service within these guidelines.

Bus Éireann also advise that if the proposed changes were implemented there would be additional cost involved and it would also inconvenience other pupils travelling on the service.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from Bus Éireann designated pick up and set down points.

The terms of the school transport schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.