Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 514: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the expenditure on school transport for each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27151/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The following is a breakdown of my Department's expenditure on transport services for the years shown:

1997 — €49.5m

1998 — €51.2m

1999 — €58.0m

2000 — €65.1m

2001 — €77.1m

2002 — €96.0m

2003 — €101.7m

2004 — €109.8m

2005 — €122.2m.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 515: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children carried on school transport for each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27152/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The number of pupils availing of school transport services in a school year varies from time to time. Accordingly, the figures which I am now providing are averages of pupils availing of the service within the years mentioned.

1997 — 160,000

1998 — 154,000

1999 — 145,000

2000 — 139,000

2001 — 140,000

2002 — 136,000

2003 — 138,000

2004 — 136,000

2005 — 135,500.

In addition to the above Bus Éireann also issues almost 9,000 tickets to schoolchildren for travel on public and privately licensed scheduled local and national bus and public rail services.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 516: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children carried on school transport services for the 2003 to 2004, 2004 to 2005 and 2005 to 2006 school years; if she will provide this information on a county basis; if she will indicate, on a county basis, which of these children are fully entitled to the service and which are concessionary ticket holders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27153/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The annual average numbers of pupils carried on Primary and Post Primary school transport services from 2003 is 136,500 of which over 6,300 are currently carried on a concessionary basis.

The breakdown of these figures on a county-by-county basis is not available.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 517: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of children with special educational needs carried by school transport, on a county basis, for the 2003 to 2004, 2004 to 2005 and 2005 to 2006 school years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27154/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Between eight and nine thousand children with special educational needs are availing of school transport. A breakdown of this figure on a county-by-county basis is not available.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 518: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of vehicles in the service of the school transport system; the number of these which are contracted from private operators; the average age of the vehicles privately contracted; the average age of the remainder of the vehicles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27155/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The number of vehicles operating under the school transport scheme is over 3,300. This figure includes about 2,700 vehicles (including standby vehicles) owned by private contractors. The average age of the Bus Éireann school bus fleet is 15.1 years. The average age of the entire school bus fleet, including contractors vehicles, is 11 years.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 519: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the three for two seating arrangement is in use on any vehicle carrying primary or post-primary children to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27156/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Éireann have informed my Department that all of the post-primary school transport services are now on a one for one seating basis. Plans are well advanced to provide children travelling on school buses to primary schools with single seats by the end of December 2006.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 520: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position with regard to the fitting of seat belts to all school buses; the number of vehicles, and their capacity, which have to be fitted with these devices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27157/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Bus Éireann has informed my Department that 375 of its fleet of about 650 school buses have already been retrofitted with seat belts and they have indicated that they remain on target to have the work completed by the end of August 2006.

Bus Éireann also informed my Department that there are about 2,700 private contractors' vehicles, including taxis and larger vehicles on standby, in the school transport scheme, and that over 80% of these are already fitted with seat belts. The standard to which belts on contractors' vehicles have been fitted will need to be assessed and Bus Éireann is making arrangements for the necessary inspection to be carried out on a contractual basis.