Payments made to Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department are in line with the Summary of Accounting Arrangements relating to the Transport Scheme for Primary and Post-Primary School Children dated 1 January 1975.
My Department receives an Annual Statement of Account in respect of the School Transport Scheme, which includes an audit opinion provided by independent external auditors.
For 2015 and prior years the opinion states that the financial information of Bus Éireann's School Transport Scheme is prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Summary of Accounting Arrangements relating to the Transport Scheme for Primary and Post-Primary School Children dated 1 January 1975. The auditors have stated that they believe that the audit evidence they have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for their audit opinion.
School transport services operated by Bus Éireann are provided using a mix of publicly owned buses and private vehicles supplied by private operators under contract to Bus Éireann. About 90% of the vehicles used to provide school transport services each day under the School Transport Scheme are sourced from private contractors.
