Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of concessionary pupils being carried on school transport; the way in which this compares with each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27557/05]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children currently being carried by the school bus service; the way in which this compares with each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27556/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 88 together.

The number of children currently being carried on school transport is 128,300. The numbers carried in the last five years are as follows: in 2000, 131,200; in 2001, 132,700; in 2002, 130,720; in 2003, 130,100; and in 2004, 129,400.

The number of concessionary pupils currently being carried on school transport is 6,257. The numbers carried in each of the last five years are as follows: in 2000, 9,127; in 2001, 8,901; in 2002, 6,845; in 2003, 7,332; and in 2004, 7,100.

With regard to concessionary pupils, I should clarify that a pupil at primary level is eligible for school transport if she or he resides 3.2 kilometres or 2 miles or more from the nearest suitable primary school. At post-primary level, a pupil is eligible if she or he resides 4.8 kilometres or 3 miles or more from the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which she or he lives.

In the case of primary and post-primary pupils who are ineligible for school transport on the basis of the distance requirements, transport may be offered on a concessionary fare-paying basis. Such pupils are not guaranteed school transport for every year of their schooling. Rather, the granting of such concessionary transport is dependent on the availability of additional capacity on the buses used to transport eligible students. Any such additional capacity is calculated on a year-to-year basis.