Cork schoolchildren left without a bus service a month into new academic year

MULTIPLE families who live in areas surrounding Rathcormac National School are still without bus places for their children a month into term time.

The school transport scheme saw a large rise in demand after the Government made a decision not to charge parents for tickets for the last academic year.

The decision, which was a response to the cost of living crisis, led to a 21% increase in tickets allocated to pupils and a 38% rise in tickets allocated on a concessionary basis. However, the surge in demand has meant that some families have missed out.

Evelyn Murphy from Kildinan, Co Cork, has three children who have been left without bus tickets to go to their school in Rathcormac every day.

The Murphy family are one of seven local families and 11 children in the area who have had to scramble to make alternative travel arrangements.

Ms Murphy says it has been a very hard time for the impacted families.

“We live so far from the school, so the school bus was a lifeline. I used to put the kids on the bus and I would have time to go back down to milk the cows.

“Now I am on the road all the time. I am doing 36 miles in one day [with the three kids].

“We are about six miles from the school. It is a huge townland area, Kildinan. Right now I am driving the six miles at nine o’clock, at two o’clock [for her junior infants child] and at three o’clock.

“A school closed down here in Kildinan a good few years ago but there was a promise made that there would always be a bus for children into Rathcormac. 

"It is crazy. The bus passes our house.”

Ms Murphy has three children who are in junior infants, third and fourth class.

“My youngest was all excited about going in to junior infants and getting the bus but we got an email at the end of July at half nine in the evening saying ‘The bus is full, you are no longer getting it’.

“I know one family where the eldest two kids had eligible tickets and the youngest had a concessionary ticket. And the concessionary ticket holder is no longer allowed access to the bus whereas the previous two always had access to the bus.

“It has had so much of an impact on the kids. They are heartbroken.

“Kids are wondering how come another child got a ticket and we didn’t? The impact is huge.

“I wanted to go back to do a degree in psychotherapy but I can’t because every trip is an hour up and back.”

Calls for Minibus

A second parent, Stephanie Jones, said that a minibus should be put in place for children who didn’t get a ticket for the 56-seat bus to the school.

She believes that the population in the hinterland of Rathcormac is growing so much that an additional bus route for up to 50 children could be needed in the years ahead.

She said that ultimately the community in Kildinan were given a “firm promise” that there would be school transport to Rathcormac when the local school closed many years ago.

“All we want is for that promise to be honoured,” she added.

Parent Monique Barry says that the system in place to allocate places is bewildering with the situation having been “very upsetting” for parents and children alike.

Fellow impacted parent Paul Cashman said that the situation has caused huge upheaval to families.

“None of us saw this coming — we were shocked when we realised just how many children would not get school transport places.”

Parent Deirdre O’Donovan said in addition to the pressures being placed on families, children also want to be on the bus with their friends.

“It has been very hard for the children who were on the school bus and are now being told they cannot travel on the service despite the fact their friends are on the bus,” she added.

Bus Éireann Statement 

In a statement, Bus Éireann said that it operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and is catering for more than 133,000 students.

“The purpose of the scheme is to provide transport for children living remotely from their nearest school.

“In County Cork, a 7% increase of tickets has been issued to eligible and concessionary pupils in the county compared to this time last year.

“Regarding scheme eligibility, the priority for arranging school transport is given to children who are deemed eligible for transport based on the current eligibility criteria.

“Concessionary seats are not guaranteed every year and can only be offered where there are spare seats on an existing school transport service.

“Children are eligible at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2km from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8km from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.”

Bus Éireann said priority was given to eligible over concessionary children.

“Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places.

“In these cases, Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.”