Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2016
842. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to analyse the impact on traffic, the environment, improved efficiency and general savings to the economy of introducing free school bus services across cities of providing tax incentives schemes to encourage new entrants from the private bus market to provide these services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6246/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraFree school bus services are available to primary school children who live more than 3.2km from their nearest suitable primary school, and secondary school children who live more than 4.8km from their nearest suitable secondary school, having regard to ethos and language. It is not currently government policy to extend the provision of free school buses to children who live closer than these distances to their nearest suitable schools. If such a policy were to be proposed by government, a full analysis of the policy, including transport impacts, environmental impacts, social impacts and economic impacts would then be carried out as part of an economic appraisal, in line with the Public Spending Code.
