Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school transport appeals lodged in each of the years 2016 to 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25713/19]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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130. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school transport appeals upheld in each of the years 2016 to 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25714/19]

Carol Nolan (Offaly, Independent)
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131. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school transport appeals lodged to date in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25715/19]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 129 to 131, inclusive, together.

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

There are currently over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

The School Transport Appeals Board is independent of my Department. Under the terms of reference of the Board, the Board determines appeals against decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Department of Education and Skills regarding the provision of school transport services and/or grant-aid under the terms of the School Transport Schemes.

I can advise that in 2016 a total of 191 appeals were heard and none were allowed; in 2017 a total of 144 appeals were heard and none were allowed; in 2018 a total of 251 appeals were heard and 4 were allowed; to date in 2019 a total of 121 appeals were heard, and 3 were allowed.

A number of appeals were referred by the Board to my Department's School Transport Section for clarification and/or further consideration arising from additional information which came to light during the appeals process.