Outrage across Cork over school bus system ‘annual fiasco’

The school transport system has been described by one Cork TD as being both “spectacularly haphazard and mercilessly rigid”, with children being left behind and parents forced to take time off work to take their child to school.

Cork North Central Labour TD Eoghan Kenny is one of a number of deputies to have raised the issue, citing an example in Mallow where 46 pupils have been signed up for a bus — yet none has been sanctioned.

“Coming into our office consistently over this summer have been surging complaints about the school transport system. That is not a new phenomenon,” said Mr Kenney.

He pointed out that pupils in Mayfield and Knocknaheeny have secured special education places but have no transport, describing this as “a barrier to education”.

Cork East Social Democrats TD Liam Quaide referenced several families he represents, including two whose parents have no access to a car.

Unreliable

“These children will now have to take the unreliable public bus home at 6.15pm, which will be particularly punitive during winter,” he said.

Mr Quaide said another family was allocated a route that is too far from their home to be a feasible option.

“Yet, a school bus on a route that has not been offered to them passes directly by their home. The system is both spectacularly haphazard and mercilessly rigid,” he said.

Party colleague Pádraig Rice said the school transport issue has become an “annual fiasco”. 

He cited an example of one child with additional needs that has been back in school for over a month without the transport they were approved for in June, with their parents alternating taking time off work.

Dreads

Fianna Fáil’s Pádraig O’Sullivan said school transport season the one time of the year he dreads, saying the issue of school transport for students with special needs “is particularly acute in Cork at the moment”.

“When the cost of a ticket was initially reduced to €50, it was done during the cost-of-living crisis. The knock-on consequence is that it has created higher demand for seats, and we have not been able to meet the demand.

“If we do not have the resources to accommodate all those people, we need to put a value on those tickets. I have anecdotal information about situations where people avail of the ticket because it is so cheap and then do not use it.”

Absolute farce

Cork South West Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins said that up to 30 children in Ballinadee have been left without any school transport.

“These families were told at the start of the school year that a bus would be provided. Days before school began, they were informed that there would be no bus and they would have to make their own arrangements. It is an absolute farce.”

Minister of state Michael Moynihan acknowledged the challenges in Cork and elsewhere, saying the department and Bus Éireann were working to resolve them — including through pilot schemes and expanded taxi services where necessary. He added a government review of removing the cut-off age of 70 for bus drivers is underway, and that efforts continue to recruit more drivers.