Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 203: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the way the current school transport scheme for primary school children is operated before the €50 school transport charge for primary school children is introduced. [1502/11]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school children who avail of the public transport school scheme across the country. [1503/11]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 205: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school children who avail of the public transport school scheme in County Roscommon. [1504/11]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 206: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school children who avail of the public transport school scheme in County Leitrim. [1505/11]

Frank Feighan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 207: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the revenue projections for introducing a €50 school transport charge and the way that this revenue will be allocated. [1506/11]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 207, inclusive, together.

Under the terms of the Primary School Transport scheme pupils are eligible for transport if they reside 3.2 kilometres or more from, and are attending, their nearest national school, as determined by my Department. Eligible primary pupils have up to now been transported free of charge. Pupils who avail of concessionary transport pay an annual charge of €200.

Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Schemes on behalf of my Department, has advised that in the current school year nearly 59,000 primary pupils are availing of school transport, including 8,000 children with special educational needs and over 3,200 pupils availing of concessionary transport.

Bus Éireann has also advised that 1,193 and 1,359 tickets were issued for primary school transport services in Counties Roscommon and Leitrim respectively for the 2009/10 school year.

Eligible primary pupils holding medical cards and all children with special educational needs will be exempt from paying the primary charge. The latest data shows that 42% of all post primary pupils travelling hold valid medical cards and are currently exempt from paying the post primary school transport charge. Using this % as a guide in establishing the number of eligible primary pupils liable to pay charges, it is estimated that, based on current take up, just over 27,500 pupils would be liable to pay charges in the 2011/2012 school year.

The 2011 estimate for school transport services is €180 million compared to an allocation for 2010 of €186 million. Under the four year national recovery plan €4.5 million in savings will need to be secured in 2011, rising to €17 million in 2014, through a combination of increases in charges and the implementation of measures identified in the value for money review of the school transport scheme. The annual revenue projection as a result of the introduction of this charge in a full year is approximately €1.3 million. The revenue raised will be used to offset the overall cost of the scheme to the exchequer.