Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how many school bus services in County Roscommon are currently not running due to lack of drivers or lack of buses; how many children are affected as a result of these challenges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47378/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.

Already over 134,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the start of the 2022/2023 school year. The number of tickets issued has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.

Bus Éireann has advised that all services in the county referred to by the Deputy are currently operating as planned.