Thomas Byrne
Question:168. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of returning to previous catchment boundaries in the school transport scheme before changes introduced in 2012. [28210/16]
View answerDáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2016
168. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of returning to previous catchment boundaries in the school transport scheme before changes introduced in 2012. [28210/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
While it is not possible to provide costings on a reversion of school transport eligibility to the former catchment boundary area system, I can advise that between 2010 and 2014 the changes recommended in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme contributed to a reduction of some €9m in the overall cost of school transport provision.