Laois TD condemns 'chaos' of school bus system

A Laois TD has condemned the school transport system as "absolute chaos".

Local Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley says he has received dozens of complaints about lack of bus seats from Laois parents.

“The chaos being experienced in the school transport system shows a complete absence of local co-ordination.”

“This year we have witnessed absolute chaos in several areas of Laois/Offaly regarding the operation of the scheme. Year in year out this is a reoccurring problem, the system is broken, and a solution needs to be put in place.

Parents who paid the fee for their child to travel on the school bus, as far back as April, were informed just two weeks before schools were due to be reopened that they had no ticket.

Families who had tickets last year are now without one. In some cases, buses are travelling with vacant seats, while parents drive behind them to get their children to the nearest school.

“Situations have also arisen where the nearest school is determined by Bus Eireann using a road that is clearly unsuitable and unfit to be used by a large vehicle.

“As in previous years I have received dozens of complaints from parents across the Constituency and I have been making representations on their behalf.

“In particular it is causing problems for parents who are working full time and who’s working hours will not facilitate school runs. It is also a challenge for single car households.

“It is clear that the absence of local co-ordination and local knowledge is adding to the chaos. Clear and timely information is essential for both parents and Bus Eireann. An identifiable co-ordinator in each county would help to resolve much of this. I believe that a person who would have direct contact with local schools and bus operators would help to bridge the gap that is there at the moment. This could be done in a similar fashion to the Local Link Bus Service," Deputy Stanley said.

A public meeting was held by parents in Emo last week, attended by Minister Sean Fleming, where it was heard that some seven children lost out in a lotto system to get the bus to Mountmellick Community School, despite having paid a deposit to reserve their seats months before. 

Deputy Stanley now wants the Minister for Education to consider his proposal.

“I am calling on the Government and the Minister for Education, Norma Foley Fianna Fáil, to seriously consider the viability of this proposal," he said.