Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42613/18]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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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.

School Transport services under the 'Closed School Rule' had their origin in the amalgamation of primary schools in the late 1960s.

It was the practice in the case of such amalgamations to provide transport to the amalgamated schools and it is likely that this was conveyed as part of the overall process. Given that there were in excess of 800 schools covered by such amalgamations, and given the time removed since the date of many of these amalgamations, it is not feasible to source individual school records.

A number of changes to the School Transport Scheme were introduced in Budget 2011, which derived from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme. These changes encompassed a number of elements and included the cessation of the 'Closed/Central School Rule' at primary level.