Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
374. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that have been taken to ensure the school transport scheme will be able to operate at capacity when schools reopen in view of concerns raised by school bus operators and individual schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13810/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra399. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if clarification will be provided for school bus operators regarding the measures that will be in place and the Covid-19 procedures they will need to implement and follow when they go back to providing school transport at the end of August 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13939/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 374 and 399 together.
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.
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.
In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
With regard to the re-opening of schools for the 2020/21 academic year, my Department is currently engaging intensively with Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise from public health advice in planning for the reopening of schools. The operation of school transport services in September 2020 will be informed by the outcome of this planning for re-opening schools.
