Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37326/18]

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

In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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.

Bus Éireann has advised that the forms referred to by the Deputy, which are medical forms that nominated drivers of contractors complete, while they appear similar serve different purposes.

One is to be completed when there are no underlying issues that would prevent a person from having a review on their medical at either 6 or 12 month intervals and the other is to be completed where there are underlying issues or the driver is over 66 and requires a review at either 6 or 12 month intervals.

The person referred to by the Deputy is advised to contact the local Bus Eireann office if they have any issues they wish to clarify.