Seán Sherlock
Ceist:562. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she has discussed school transport with the Minister for Transport. [21976/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 8 September 2020
Ceisteanna (562)
Freagraí scríofa
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. 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.
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.
I recently published the Roadmap for the Full Return to School which set out how schools would reopen for all students from the end of August. It was developed in line with public health advice issued by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the Roadmap for Society and Business , and follows comprehensive and intensive engagement with all relevant stakeholders including Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise in planning for the operation of school transport services for the reopening of our schools.
Officials from my Department have engaged with those from Department of Transport on these issues.