Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is incredible that in 2023 as another school term begins, we have the long list of issues we have every year. The same issues arise over and over again. Every year, during the summer months, the school transport circus begins. I cannot fathom how it cannot be resolved once and for all.

There is a long list of cases in my office coming through from the Roscommon side in Ballaghadereen and Ballinasloe in east Galway. Situations arise where in one family, a brother gets a ticket but a sister does not and has to cycle down the road to get on a bus because there are two buses. She used to be able to get on the bus with her brother outside her home but cannot do so now and the two buses are going to the same school. I have heard of several cases where children have been approved for a bus ticket and either the bus ticket is given to them and revoked or they get another email to say they will not actually get the ticket because there is no capacity. It is all well and good to promote getting out of your car and using school transport and public transport and lots of parents want that option but it beggars belief that we are still in the situation where a person eligible for a ticket has the ticket revoked or does not get a ticket because there is no room on the bus.

Regarding routes not being cancelled, the Minister will be familiar with the special school in Ballinasloe. It has had weeks of the principal going back and over with Bus Éireann. One of the school's routes has been cancelled. The principal was contacted by a parent last week who told her that the child had missed ten days of school and the mother is worried she will be contacted by Tusla about that if the number of days keeps going up. The special school is there. The route has been cancelled. Parents were not notified and only found out when they realised the bus was not turning up. The principal has been ringing for the past number of weeks trying to sort it out. There is no bus and so there is no service and these parents have been left high and dry. That is a special school for children with additional needs. School is important in that routine and yet they physically cannot get to and from school.

This is a real mess. The review has been awaited for a very long time. We still have not seen it. It needs to totally reform the school transport system as quickly as possible.

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