Families face extra school transport costs of up to €130 a year

FAMILIES face extra school bus costs of up to €130 a year as a result of increases in charges of about 40% from next March.

The rise will be the first of its kind on school transport services for a decade, said Education Minister Mary Hanafin yesterday.

Junior Minister Sean Haughey, who has responsibility for school transport, said the charges would raise an extra €2.5 million a year but passenger charges would still only cover about 5% of next year’s €175m school transport bill.