SCHOOL transport charges for primary school children will be doubled in the budget under plans being considered by the Government.

PRIVATE coach operators have asked the Competition Authority to investigate the awarding of the school bus contract to Bus Éireann without tender.

The Government will press ahead with cuts to the school bus transport scheme, a minister told more than 400 parents and teachers at a meeting in Listowel, Co Kerry last night.

The Dáil has been told that there are significant legal problems in seeking the return of allowances and bonuses which were given to some university heads without government sanction.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen was urged to intervene directly in the Ivor Callely affair last night, after one of his ministers called on the senator to quit the Oireachtas.

With the beginning of the new school year, the Road Safety Authority has called on parents and teachers to highlight the importance of road safety among children, especially those starting school for the first time. Some 80,000 high visibility vests are being distributed to schools for children to wear.

Some 80,000 nervous children starting school for the first time will be given a high-visibility vest as part of a road safety campaign, it was revealed today.

A new guide for secondary school principals on pupil’s sexual orientation was today described as a step forward in the education system.

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe says he hopes "sense will prevail" and teachers will not engage in industrial action.

PARENTS have been asked to warn their children of the importance of travelling safely after it emerged three out of four post-primary students are not wearing seatbelts on school buses.

Junior Education Minister Sean Haughey will highlight today the vandalism by pupils of bus seatbelts as the new school year draws closer.

A new primary school run by the Catholic Church will open in west Dublin even though most pupils are likely to be non-Catholic, the Diocese confirmed today.

School pupils are being warned that they will be suspended from classes if they vandalise new seat-belts installed on school buses.

Junior Education Minister Sean Haughey will make his first official announcement in his new post today.

Over two hundred young people are gathered in Dublin today for the third annual National Youth Conference.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern re-ignited the reshuffle row yesterday with a blunt signal to junior minister Síle de Valera she will have to leave office this year.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has hinted that he wants Síle de Valera to step aside as Junior Education Minister before the next general election.

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is expected to announce a minor reshuffle of his junior ministers later today.

A CO LIMERICK parish was last night celebrating a victory for people power after the Department of Education issued school bus tickets to 38 secondary students who were struck off school bus transport last August.

A FIANNA FÁIL Dáil candidate will today lead angry parents in a picket of the constituency office of Junior Education Minister Síle de Valera over the school bus controversy.

European Education ministers are to seek assurances from the EU that a percentage of the money donated to victims of last month's tsunami will go towards rebuilding the education systems in the areas affected.

A YEAR ago today the Government promised to plough €37 million over the next five years into youth development - but not a cent has yet been spent.

THE Government has failed to spend one euro of the €7.12 million promised for the National Youth Work Development Plan launched a year ago today.

Junior Education Minister, Willie O’Dea, has announced an extra 6000 places for adult education.

Today is the deadline for agreement in the teachers dispute before the ASTI decides whether to resume strike action.