Tipperary TD calls for school transport scheme to be updated for rural Ireland
Current scheme isn't working for many people, says Deputy Martin Browne
Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has called for the school transport system to be more reflective of the reality of rural Ireland.
"Every year in Tipperary, many parents are left struggling to get school bus spaces through the school transport scheme due to the rules of the scheme not reflecting the reality of rural schools' catchment areas," he says.
"In some instances, people are being told that due to distance limits they cannot get a ticket, despite buses for the school they have chosen passing their house. In other cases, parents of children with additional needs have found that the school transport scheme gives no consideration to the fact that the most suitable school for their child may not be the closest.
"In another case, a family who has older children in a school and getting the bus with their neighbours to one school have been told that their younger child cannot get a space on the same bus.
"Distance limits where rural primary schools are effectively equal distance between different secondary schools simply aren’t working. Instead they are effectively limiting the school choice of parents or are creating the added expense for parents.
"I have submitted a number of questions to the minister on this issue, as it is clear that the current scheme is not working for many people.
"The current scheme doesn’t take into consideration that the secondary school that is one mile closer to you might not be the local secondary school for your child’s primary school, or that the bus for other schools travels by your house," stated Deputy Browne.
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