To ask the Minister of Education whether she has plans to move to an entirely zero emission fleet of vehicles.

Procurement of fleet vehicles is an operational matter for the Education Authority (EA). The EA understands the importance of considering carbon neutral technology and it has included the procurement of two alternatively fuelled vehicles in year five (2024/25) of the current Five Year Fleet Replacement Programme. These vehicles will be used to complete trials alongside diesel vehicles for operational performance in order to identify the best alternative fuels solution(s) for the EA, moving towards the 2030 ban on new diesel vehicle registrations.

The EA is keen to ensure that any new buses are in keeping with the strategic aims of NI environmental policy. Zero emission vehicles, however, currently attract significant additional cost and any move towards this technology will require a broad consideration of associated fuelling/charging infrastructure and maintenance arrangements.