More school bus drivers needed say Leitrim councillors

More school bus drivers are needed in County Letirim was the view of several councillors at a recent meeting of the local authority. 
Cllr Caillian Ellis proposed that the council write to Bus Éireann to call on them to employ more school bus drivers, "as the Bus Éireann system is full to capacity."
Cllr Ellis, who has worked with Bus Éireann for more than 30 years, said: "I think Bus Éireann should employ more drivers because there is a serious problem out there with Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers – they're not there and you have to have a HGV licence to drive a bus."

He noted that there is a Bus Éireann garage in Longford and if they “don't approve drivers and put buses on the road, that garage is going to close because it's solely for repairs to school buses and Leitrim people are working there."

Cllr Paddy O'Rourke backed his Fianna Fáil colleague saying he feared “they are going to come to a stone wall situation here some school year if they don't take action” adding that some day there “will be a bus and no driver”.

Cllr Brendan Barry said that, in his view, the reduction in driver numbers indicates that the government plans to privatise the transport sector and said that with "all the talk around national and public transport being important with climate change", they should be recruiting more staff. 

It was decided that a letter would be sent to the Minister for Transport.