Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding school bus routes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48788/18]

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

The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.

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 detailed information requested is not readily available and will involve a significant amount of administrative time to compile.

In this regard, Bus Éireann has been requested to respond directly to the Deputy.