Primary school transport charges set to double

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

Annual charges are set to rise from €50 to €100 for individual children. The maximum charge where more than one child from a family uses transport services will also double from €110 to €220.

Rural families will be hit hardest by the measures, which will only scrape an estimated €2 million off the annual €178m school transport costs met by the Department of Education.