Laois parents 'distraught' over Minister's school bus remarks

Parents hoping to secure school bus places were left ‘distraught and most upset’ by Education Minister Norma Foley’s response to a query from a local TD.

Deputy Charlie Flanagan had raised concerns over children left without school bus places in Emo, Vicarstown and Ballybrittas in the Dail last week.

He asked “the Minister for Education when she proposes to resolve a school transport issue affecting parents and children in the Emo, Vicarstown and Ballybrittas area of County Laois, the particulars of which have been fully outlined to Bus Éireann and are well known to her Department for many weeks; and if she will assist in bringing matters to a satisfactory conclusion.”

However, the Minister questioned the number of school children who had applied for the service. She also said there was one school bus service operating in the area. 

Laois TD to meet Department officials over Emo school bus

In response, a statement issued on behalf of the Parents Group-School Transport  Emo, Vicarstown and The Rock said: 

“On hearing of Minister Foley's reply to Charlie Flanagan parliamentary question last Wednesday, 28th September - parents within the group are very distraught and most upset.” 

“Minister Foley stated that five applications were made for the current school year; two of which are eligible and three are concessionary. Parents are outraged.  These figures need to be reviewed and reflect the hard efforts of these families fighting for this bus service.”  

“The true number who applied which are eligible under the current Bus Eireann distance requirements are 11 pupils. Ten pupils are needed for a bus service and the parents group meet this. All the necessary details have been provided to the Department of Education, Bus Eireann etc,” the parents claimed.

“We have been chasing the Minister for Education, Bus Eireann and local representatives but it's an uphill battle.  What we urgently need now is the Department, School Transport section and or Bus Eireann to meet with us to discuss and agree the re-establishment of the route from Emo to Mountmellick urgently for this current school year,” they continued.

“Our parents group held out great hope for budget day, 27th September and Minister Foley's commitment prior to same of seeking funding for school transport, in particular previous concessionary ticket holders. The budget announcements did not include anything about school transport. Parents were left confused and deflated,” they said. 

The group say an update was released by the Department of Education last Friday, September 30.  

“By way of update, following discussions with Minister McGrath and officials in DPER as part of the budgetary process some additional funding has been approved for the scheme which will allow officials in consultation with Bus Éireann to consider and evaluate where temporary additional capacity may be available,” they stated.  

“The initial focus will be where families applied on time and who previously held concessionary tickets, to alleviate the impact of the increased demands on the scheme for those families.   However, it is important to stress that this is subject to capacity considerations.  Constraints in sourcing vehicles and drivers in certain areas of the country may also mean that it may take a number of weeks to explore solutions for additional capacity,” the group stated. 

“Parents across the country still wait and try to continue to battle on. The school children are in their sixth week back in school and no concrete plans or definite resolution in sight for secondary school students in need of school transport. There are 6,000 students across Ireland, including those in Laois, who were literally 'left on the side of the road' with no bus or bus ticket and remain there presently,” they pointed out. 

The parents group said over 20 families from the areas of Emo, Vicarstown and The Rock have been holding public meetings to try and get bus places for their children. 

The group's two main goals are:  “To increase capacity on the existing Bus Eireann school route from Vicarstown/Emo to secondary schools in Portlaoise. There are five children who previously held concessionary tickets in previous years and are without seats this year. With the free transport scheme introduced this year, it seems people applied as they were eligible, and it was free but the reality is there are seven free seats every day for the last almost six weeks on the bus from the New Inn Emo to Portlaoise schools, and five children who have paid for and used the service for the last number of years were kicked off the bus and have no seats,” they claim.  

Secondly, the parents want to re-establish the historical school bus route from Emo to Mountmellick Community School.  Emo National School is a feeder school to Mountmellick, Portarlington and Portlaoise. Only pupils from Emo who attend secondary schools in Portlaoise are currently catered for by Bus Eireann. 

“The parents group has worked on this campaign for over the past year. They have established a need, which meets the current distance eligibility criteria - for the bus route to be reinstated. There are 11 eligible pupils for this current school year and a further eight pupils who meet the second nearest school / temporary alleviation measure extended by Minister Foley for 2022/2023,” the parents say. 

Responding to Minister Foley's response in the Dail, Deputy Charlie Flanagan said: “I’m most unhappy. Department needs to move to resolve this issue without delay. Parents are justified in their frustration and annoyance. I’m meeting with officials again this week.”