Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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153. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is considering allowing an extension to the age of vehicles operating school transport services; if she is considering increasing the limit to 25 years subject to six monthly CVRT testing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12966/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.

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 current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

Bus Éireann sets the standard it requires in relation to services operating as part of the School Transport Scheme.  In the interest of maintaining the highest standards of safety it is not permitted to operate any bus older than 20 years on school transport services.  This standard applies to both vehicles operated by Bus Éireann and those procured from private operators.  There are no plans at present to change the current age profile of vehicles operating services as part of the School Transport Scheme.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is considering the introduction of grant aid for the initial costs associated with returning the school transport fleet to full roadworthiness on the return of school transport services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12967/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.

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 current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

Following school closures in March in an effort to conatin the spread of Covid 19 it was decided that contractors would continue to be paid at 50% while schools remained closed in the current school year.

With regard to the re-opening of schools for the 2020/21 academic year, my Department is currently engaging intensively with Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise from public health advice in planning for the reopening of schools.  The operation of school transport services in September 2020 will be informed by the outcome of this planning for re-opening schools.