Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 April 2019
168. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full year cost of restoring school transport services to the criteria that existed pre-2011; and the status of data set out in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 237 of 3 December 2015 for the 2010 to 2018 period. [17270/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
There are currently over 117,500 children, including over 13,000 children with special educational needs, transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
The purpose of the Primary 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.
Changes to the School Transport Scheme introduced in Budget 2011, derived from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme and encompassed a number of elements such as:-
- national application of the distance rule of 3.2 kilometres at primary level;
- the cessation of the Closed/Central School Rule at primary level;
- the cessation of catchment boundary area to determine eligibility at post primary level and;
- an increase from seven to 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality to retain or establish a school transport service and the introduction of charges at primary level.
Given that school transport is a demand led service it is difficult to cost school transport services on the basis of restoring the Scheme to the criteria that existed pre 2011. However, in general the unit cost for transporting mainstream children is some €1,000 per annum, while the unit cost for transporting children with special educational needs is €7,000 or €9,000 when the provision of escorts are included.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
Should the Deputy wish to clarify the additional information sought, he should contact School Transport Section of my Department.
