Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a person (details supplied) for the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs; when payment will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29758/18]

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.

The family referred to by the Deputy has been sanctioned for the Special Transport Grant to cover the cost of bringing their child to and from school.

These grants are generally processed at the end of the school year upon receipt of a Statement of Attendance form; the relevant form was received on 2 July 2018.