Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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659.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Bus éireann supplies a list of all contracted external bus drivers to her Department that provide buses and-or coaches under the school transport scheme; and, if so, the frequency in which her Department receives that list. [31587/24]

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 current school year over 161,600 children are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country.

This figure comprises over 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.

The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus éireann owned vehicles and private contractor owned vehicles. As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. In the 2023/2024 school year in the region of 7,200 contractor owned vehicles operated on the scheme. Bus éireann provides a report to the Department on a monthly basis on the number of contractor vehicles operating on the scheme.