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School Transport

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 February 2022

Tuesday, 15 February 2022

Questions (415, 416, 417)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

415. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of providing 1,000 additional bus places on the 2022-23 school transport scheme. [7466/22]

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Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

416. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of abolishing fees for the 2022-23 school transport scheme. [7467/22]

View answer

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

417. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of abolishing fees for the 2021-2022 school transport scheme. [7468/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 415 to 417, inclusive, together.

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289m in 2021.

The purpose of my 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.

The average cost of providing transport for a child to a primary or post-primary school is estimated at €1,000 per annum. Therefore the estimated cost of providing 1,000 additional places to the School Transport Scheme would cost approximately €1,000,000.

Receipts from school transport charges for the 2021/22 school year amounted to approximately €16m. The closing date for receipt of payment for school transport for the 2022/23 school year is 29th July 2022, as this deadline date has not yet passed, my Department does not have the information requested by the Deputy for the 2022/23 school year.

Question No. 416 answered with Question No. 415.
Question No. 417 answered with Question No. 415.
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