Bus Éireann has confirmed that 600 secondary-school students across Cavan, Monaghan and Louth will not receive bus tickets for the coming academic year, as a result of the impact of Covid-19 on the school transport capacity.
That is according to Cavan councillor, Sarah O’Reilly (Aontú) who described the lack of capacity in the post-primary school transport system as a “mess”.
Cllr. O’Reilly said:
“At the end of day, it is a simple mathematical equation that was signposted from last August when public-health advice dictated a reduction in bus capacity by 50% on last year’s capacity of 100% for all post-primary school buses.
“If you add the current lack of private providers left in the market due to its collapse, then alarm bells should have been sounding in the Department of Education.
“It was painfully evident that this mess was coming down the road,” she said.
She has criticised Minister for Education, Norma Foley, for the current situation and said she hopes the minister has advocated on behalf of students and their families to NPHET for a “common-sense increase in bus capacity”.
“The situation is extremely upsetting for families, I myself had representation from parents and family support advocacy groups detailing the undue distress this is causing.
“Many who availed of the concessionary bus tickets last year are only finding out this week that they have not been successful.
“It is very short notice for parents and schools who were making final preparations for the return of students next week only to have to make alternative arrangements at this late stage.
“It is difficult for parents to understand why 100% capacity on post-primary transport was acceptable last year, yet it is not acceptable this year.”