John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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188. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school transport option has not been put in place for a person (details supplied); and if he will address the matter without delay. [50152/18]

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 km annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.

Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.

School Transport Section has not received an application for school transport from the person referred to by the Deputy. However, it should be noted that the facility in question is not a recognised school and therefore transport cannot be provided under the terms of the School Transport Scheme.