Vol. 498 No. 1
392 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will extend the trained escort scheme for pupils requiring this service to cater for the school runs involved in serving special schools in County Mayo (details supplied) arising from an extra allocation of £19 million to deal with educational advantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26810/98]
A special funding allocation of £3.4 million is being made available over the next two years to facilitate a major expansion of the escort pilot scheme on special school transport services and to allow for the introduction of safety harnesses on such services. Total expenditure on escorts and harnesses in 1999 will amount to £1.85 million. This includes the £150,000 currently spent on an annual basis on the special escort scheme.
I am confident that this substantial and much needed increase in funding will allow my Department to provide a positive response to the many demands for increased escort cover on the special services. I can assure the Deputy that the needs of the schools to which he refers will be fully considered in the context of arrangements which will now be made to extend escort cover on the special services.
