Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 September 2018
197. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of eligible and concessionary customers, respectively, transported in each financial year since 2010 and to date in 2018, by sub-division in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38767/18]
View answerSchool 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.
The purpose of the School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In general, children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school. A minimum of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, is required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, within reasonable cost limits.
The information sought by the Deputy is set out below:
Total Number of Children on School Transport 2011 to end 2017/18 School Year
|
School Year |
Total Number |
Mainstream |
Special Educational Needs |
|
2011 |
113,000 |
105,000 |
8,000 |
|
2012 |
112,000 |
104,000 |
8,000 |
|
2013 |
114,000 |
105,000 |
9,000 |
|
2014 |
113,000 |
103,000 |
10,000 |
|
2015 |
114,000 |
104,000 |
10,000 |
|
2016 |
116,000 |
104,000 |
12,000 |
|
2017 |
116,500 |
104,000 |
12,500 |
|
End 17/18 |
117,455 |
104,700 |
12,750 |
Details of Mainstream Eligible v Concessionary Children 2011 to end 2017/18 School Year
|
School Year |
Eligible Children |
Concessionary Tickets (% is a % of Total Tickets) |
Total Tickets |
|
|
2011 |
99,878 |
4,854 |
4.6% |
104,732 |
|
2012 |
95,197 |
8,949 |
8.6% |
104,146 |
|
2013 |
92,454 |
12,370 |
11.8% |
104,824 |
|
2014 |
84,098 |
18,688 |
18.2% |
102,786 |
|
2015 |
81,862 |
22,208 |
21.3% |
104,070 |
|
2016 |
78,912 |
25,242 |
24.2% |
104,154 |
|
2017 |
77,500 |
26,775 |
25.6% |
104,275 |
|
End 17/18 |
77,474 |
27,230 |
26% |
104,704 |
The remainder of the information as requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested and my officials are requesting this information from Bus Éireann.
