Special needs pupil travelling 330km to school in taxis

The Public Accounts Committee has revealed that a child with special education needs is traveling an extraordinary 330 kilometers every day to and from school, incurring a yearly expense of over €109,000. According to Bus Éireann's data, 27% of the total school transport budget last year, equating to €143 million, was spent on taxis for this unique case. The committee heard that the overall cost of providing school transport exceeded expectations by €96 million in the previous year.

Bus Éireann's CEO, Jean O Sullivan, admitted that there was one exceptionally long-distance journey involving a taxi for a special needs pupil. The Chief Financial Officer, Tom Delaney, confirmed that the child in question travels approximately 330 kilometers per day. While the Department of Education and Youth's Secretary General, Bernie McNally, was unaware of the individual circumstances surrounding this particular pupil, she acknowledged that some families opt for extended travel distances to access highly specialized educational facilities.

Committee Chairman and Sinn Féin TD, John Brady, expressed concern over this case, describing it as a failure on multiple fronts - for the pupil and financially for the taxpayer. He was aware of another instance where a pupil had to endure a two-hour round trip each way. McNally suggested that by expanding the number of specialist schools and special classes over time, the number of children needing to travel such extensive distances could be reduced.

Brady emphasized that he is focusing on the present situation, the financial burden on taxpayers, and the well-being of the individual pupil. He noted that families prefer their children to be in the local area, and he attributed this particular predicament to the failure of successive governments over many years to provide localized educational options.