Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
980. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 777 of 15 June 2021, if the estimated €1,000 per student covers costs such as the additional buses and drivers needed to provide extra places on the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40051/21]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The estimated cost of €1,000 per pupil per annum to provide school transport is based on normal operations. There have been increased costs in operating the scheme as a result of public health measures required to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. These costs relate to measures such as additional cleaning of vehicles, PPE, sanitiser, etc. and for the additional vehicles and drivers required to operate the additional services that had to be established to provide for 50% capacity on post-primary school transport services. These measures will lead to an increase in the average estimated cost per pupil at post-primary level. Details of this cost will be available at the end of the current financial year when the full year cost of operating services with these additional measures is known.
