Use of taxis for special needs students to be reviewed

THE increased use of taxis to transport children with special needs to school is likely to come under the spotlight of a review group set up to examine the €200 million a year school transport scheme.

The Department of Education funded 700 taxis last year to bring these pupils to the most suitable school or education centre every day, up from about 250 in 2004.

While the costs of such services are not known, transport services for around 9,000 children with special needs account for almost €60m of this year’s €196m school transport budget.