Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
915. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education the position regarding contracted-out buses participating in the school transport scheme being permitted to drive to the crossroads on Banna Road, Ardfert to pick up schoolchildren for schools in the Tralee area as opposed to the schoolchildren having to stand at the edge of a busy junction on a main road; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43243/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last 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.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that a revised arrangement is being put in place to to extend the service so that the bus will not pick up pupils at the junction referred to by the Deputy.
