Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when approval will be given for an extension of a school bus service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6737/22]

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.

In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes and routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.

With regard to the route referred to by the Deputy, Bus Eireann has advised that an extension of an existing mainstream school transport service has been approved and that they are in the process of arranging the extension of this route for mainstream eligible families. The local Bus Eireann school transport office will be in contact with the families involved in relation to these revised arrangements.