Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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385. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason annual school transport charges for category B have increased while the other categories, A, A1, C and D, remain unchanged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35522/13]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Category B charge referred to by the Deputy is the charge applicable to children who are eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme.

This charge, which was introduced in 2011, was increased in 2012 as part of the budgetary process from €50 to €100 per school year. The charge assists in ensuring that seats provided on buses are utilised to the maximum extent possible.

This level of charging, which equates to 55 cent per day per child for a return journey to school, is still very modest when compared with the average unit cost of some €1,000 per year for each child transported. Eligible primary children who hold valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying charges. All school transport charges remain unchanged for the 2013/14 school year.