Cllr Sharkey criticises lack of bus stop at Coláiste Chú Chulainn in Dundalk

Cllr Tomás Sharkey highlighted at the Dundalk Municipal District May meeting, that Bothar an Iarainn in Dundalk, the road running from Tesco Extra to the swimming pool, and passing Coláiste Chú Chulainn, has no bus stop to serve the secondary school.

Cllr Sharkey told the meeting that there is 870 pupils enrolled at the school, but there is no facility to allow buses to stop at the school, which Cllr Sharkey told the meeting, is "the third largest school in the municipality."

The Sinn Féin councillor, who is also Principal of Coláiste Chú Chulainn, highlighted the back rack at the school as being used by students who cycle, but added that there are many students "who use a bus and want to use a bus", and pointed to it being a feature of inclusive transport.

He added that there are two classes at the school for pupils with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and that part of those classes is for students to learn to use independent public transport, but they cannot as there is no bus stop outside the school, with the closest bus stop being at Kelly's Monument in the centre of town.

Cllr Sharkey told the meeting that a bus stop serving the school is "doable", and that "it ticks a lot of boxes for Active Transport in Dundalk, and inclusive transport".

In response, Senior Executive Engineer Paddy Connolly said he would speak to colleagues on the matter but added that bus stops are funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA).