Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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419. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the budget allocation for the school transport scheme in each of the years 2016 to 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18188/20]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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420. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children that availed of the school transport scheme in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18189/20]

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

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 2019/2020 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were 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.

Pupil Numbers 2016 to 2020

School Transport Costs 2016 to 2019