Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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302. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide the Department’s estimate of the current national shortfall in buses required to meet contractual and public-service obligations for school transport. [69688/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, 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 and Youth.

The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs.

The School Transport Scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of children who apply. Bus Éireann review all applications and payments after the closing date and assess the vehicle and contractor requirement based on the location of eligible applicants. The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and private contractor 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. There are currently in the region of 8,600 vehicles operating on the scheme.

The competitive procurement process is conducted in accordance with the negotiated procedure under national and EU procurement legislation.

As over 90% of school bus services are contracted locally, as part of a national focus on driver requirements, the Department facilitated a working group between the Department of Education and Youth, Department of Transport, Bus Éireann, and Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) to increase the availability of drivers within both the school transport scheme and other public transport areas nationally, through existing and potential training schemes.

As a result of work undertaken by the working group, a taskforce was established which is chaired by the Department of Transport. The aim of the taskforce is to work collaboratively to identify contributing factors to the recruitment issues and put forward recommendations and measures to create a pipeline of workers to address these issues.

This taskforce is currently examining all challenges and opportunities to ensure a fully resourced transport workforce, such as drivers, mechanics, and craftworkers. All factors impacting issues such as recruitment, training and retention will be considered as a part of the taskforce’s work programme.

Bus Éireann has actively sought to recruit more contractors and drivers for the School Transport Scheme. A national and local media campaign was launched earlier this year to attract professional drivers. Further information can be found at: www.buseireann.ie/contractors.