Taoiseach admits ‘real challenges’ with school transport provision

Scores of pupils across region learned this morning there will be no room for them on local transport after suspension of fees for the 2022/2023.

The Taoiseach has admitted there are “real challenges” with school transport provision.

Addressing concerns about families in parts of Cavan being left without places on school buses for the new school year, Micheál Martin admitted there are “issues”.

Free school transport was announced as part of a package to tackle cost of living pressures. But the system has been unable to handle the increasing number of families hoping to avail of spaces.

“We are in the middle of an energy crisis, we’re in the middle of a cost of living crisis, if we look medium term in terms of climate change, the more people using buses the better, particularly school transport”, he said, speaking at the Ulster Canal Stores in Clones earlier today (Tuesday).

“I accept there are real challenges with the implementation of this, this September. It is the direction of travel, excuse the pun, in terms of the utilisation of transport for access to schooling and education more generally.”

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, who was also present for the announcement of the cost of living package, said work is underway to try and alleviate pressures.

“To be fair to [Education] Minister Norma Foley, she wanted to alleviate some of the cost of living pressures and I think it was very much welcome that there was going to be no charge for school transport.

“Unfortunately more people have applied for the system but I’ve spoken to Minister Foley about it and she’s certainly working with Bus Éireann to alleviate the problem to make sure children will get transport to school.”

Local TD Brendan Smith says there is a clear problem with school transport this year:

"We are inundated with very concerned and indeed angry parents in relation to the non-provision of transport at present.

"The concessionary tickets have been an important part of school transport for decades.

"Now we have students who had transport in the past and have no such provision for this school year.

He says he too has engaged with the Education Minister about the school transport issues:

"As a matter of urgency there must be a major mobilisation of every possible bus service, naturally with proper standards, to put in place these essential services. "

Scores of pupils across the region on concessionary bus passes this morning learned there will be no room for them on local transport following the Government’s decision to suspend fees for the 2022/2023.

Under the terms of the Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/ Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Pupils who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme.

But Bus Éireann says problems have arisen where the Government’s suspended fees for the 2022/2023 yet failed to sync that by amending other school transport scheme criteria.

As a result, students in town’s closer to a secondary school, but who in the past may have travelled using alternative means, have now been given priority for seat placement.

The decision means others students living further away who had been journeying by the same bus service in years previous have now been left without a seat.

“The number of applications received exceeded the number of seats available. This vehicle is now operating at capacity,” Bus Éireann informed shocked parents of on concessionary bus pass pupils by email only this morning.

“The Government’s announcement to suspend fees for the 2022/2023 school year did not change any other criteria under the school transport scheme.”

Parents who paid for Concessionary transport tickets prior to the Government announcement have since received a refund.

READ MORE: Scores left without bus spaces after fee suspension demand