Brendan Griffin
Question:375. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify a matter (details supplied) regarding a school bus contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22803/21]
View answerWednesday, 5 May 2021
Questions (375)
Written answers
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of the Department's 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.
With regard to the operator referred to by the Deputy operating School Transport services, Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services in line with the European Directives on public procurement, which includes school transport services performed by contractors under the School Transport Scheme. Bus Éireann has confirmed that in these circumstances, it is not open to them to automatically exclude an operator from a public procurement competition on the basis that it receives funding from another source.