Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 726: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount spent on second level school transport in 2004; the numbers carried on second level transport in 2004. [22503/05]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 727: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the amount spent on primary level school transport in 2004; the numbers carried on primary level transport in 2004. [22504/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 726 and 727 together.

The total expenditure on school transport services in 2004 was €109.845 million. The actual divide of expenditure between the primary and post-primary sectors is not readily available.

The number of children availing of school transport to primary and post-primary schools in 2004 was 60,000 and 78,000 respectively. These are average figures as the number of children availing of school transport services in a school year varies from time to time. Between 8,000 and 9,000 children with special needs are included in the overall figures.

In addition to the 138,000 children carried on dedicated school transport services, Bus Éireann also issues over 9,500 tickets to schoolchildren for travel on public and privately-licensed scheduled local and national bus and rail services.