School Transport Applications Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Friday - 7 September 2018

Friday, 7 September 2018

Questions (381)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

381. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for special needs transport to schools outstanding and not processed as of 31 August 2018. [36846/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.

Over 2,700 applications for school transport for children with special educational needs have been received and processed to date for the 2018/19 school year; Bus Éireann has advised that transport arrangements are being finalised for some 500 of these applicants.