Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 201: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of concessionary students being carried on the school transport system; the number carried last year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32722/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The number of concessionary pupils currently being carried on school transport is 6,557. This figure may fluctuate from time to time. The numbers carried at the end of September 2004 was 6,900.

On concessionary pupils, I should clarify that a pupil at primary level is eligible for school transport if s/he resides 3.2 kilometres — two miles — or more from the nearest suitable primary school. At post-primary level, a pupil is eligible if s/he resides 4.8 kilometres — three miles — or more from the post-primary centre in the catchment area in which they live.

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.