BIG READ: Tipperary TD raises several School Transport Scheme concerns in the Dáil

The Independent TD Mattie McGrath addressed the Minister for Education and Youth Michael Moynihan in the Dáil last week, where he raised a number of concerns he has surrounding the School Transport Scheme.

Deputy McGrath argued that the scheme, while valuable, must be amended ahead of the next academic year.

His opening statement outlined some of the issues he has seen repeatedly across Tipperary.

“Every August, my office is inundated with school transport queries from parents who have not been able to secure a bus place for their child. I am sure the same applies in the Minister of State’s office. It is the same for all representatives. This causes unnecessary stress late in the day before schools return. Children cannot get a bus ticket. Some might live too close to their nearest school, some live too far away from their school of choice and some are minimally further in distance between their nearest school and their second nearest school.

“These issues crop up for families coming from rural areas to local secondary schools in the towns. This is a particular issue in south Tipperary with schools in Cahir, Killenaule, Fethard, Cluain Meala, Mitchelstown in Cork and Carrick-on-Suir.

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“For example, one family was unable to receive a bus ticket because Bus Éireann deemed that they live too close to a school in Cahir, despite the fact they live on a rural road a few kilometres away from the school with no footpath or public lighting. Their neighbour a little farther up the road was able to avail of the ticket. These rules are unworkable and unfair.”
Deputy McGrath insists that the scheme “badly needs to be amended”.

He continued: “The Department of education undertook a much-needed review of primary and post-primary school transport schemes in 2023. Recommendations from that review were made in 2024 to change the eligibility and distance criteria.

“It was vital that the scheme was examined. While it took a long time for it to be examined, the review has been carried out and recommendations have been made. The recommendations must be introduced immediately.

“There is no point waiting until late July or early August to do so. There is a problem with timing as well. The timelines for getting tickets are so late in the day that people have to scramble for one against time. Parents and guardians are worried and it causes awful trouble for children. Some are being bullied because they cannot get on a bus. Other children ask them why they cannot get a ticket or why they cannot pay for one and the usual things that can happen among teenagers.

He concluded: “School transport is a great scheme, which was introduced by former Minister, Donogh O’Malley. I availed of it myself when it came out in 1969 or around that time. While it has worked well, like everything else, it needs to be tweaked now ahead of the new school term. People will be going on holidays, laethanta saoire, from now until August.”

Deputy Moynihan thanked Deputy McGrath for his opening statement before outlining the work done in recent years to improve the School Transport Scheme.

“The school transport 2030 report was published in early 2024, following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the scheme include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards greater integration with public transport to ensure the best value for money for the Exchequer. It is proposed to expand access to the scheme in order that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030. A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024-25 school year.

“Following the publication of the review, the Department will test the feasibility of a number of approaches through a series of pilot programmes. These pilot programmes will be held in conjunction with the Department and Bus Éireann. A total of 14 pilot projects are under way in the current school year and are currently being evaluated. It is intended to continue current pilots for the upcoming school year. They will be monitored, and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025-26 school year.

“Work is under way to identify where further pilot programmes can be conducted. A number of approaches are being examined, including the use of a geographic information system, GIS, to identify how many additional children would become eligible and where they are located. A digital mapping project of all existing school bus routes has been developed. There is ongoing collaboration with the Department of Transport, Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority with regard to the planned expansion of public transport routes to explore where integration may be possible.”

Deputy McGrath’s response outlined that this is an issue of chid safety as well as one of practical transport measures and implored the Minister to move quickly on the matter.

“Early decisions are vital, as the Minister of State said, from 15 August until October though the children should be out in early June. Safe pick-up locations are important. For example, the Clogheen to Mitchelstown school bus does not come as far as the village of Clogheen - some call it a town - forcing parents to drive to Carrigmore cross halfway between Clogheen and Ballyporeen, a junction on a busy rural road, for pick-up. This is surely not best practice for road safety, particularly in the dark winter mornings and evenings. In the interests of safety some parents send their kids to route 245 Clonmel to Cork public bus stops. It is at the village at a similar time every morning to the public bus. This is only one example, but there are many.

“It needs to be tweaked. I know the Minister of State is doing his best. He understands it himself and was a recipient of it in the early stages when it came out. I would appreciate if the move could be made. I know the pilot schemes are welcome, but we need more than pilot schemes.”

Deputy Moynihan concluded proceedings by assuring Deputy McGrath and parents of schoolgoing children that a lot of work on the scheme will be done in the coming months.

“A lot of work is going on and I pay tribute to the officials in the Department and Bus Éireann for their engagement with me over the past number of months since my appointment and I look forward to working with them on it. They have assured me they will be working on this, and we will be having weekly meetings to review it constantly to make sure we have the information for families as soon as possible. It is crucially important we do that.

“In school transport we have to pay tribute to Bus Éireann and the contractors. The contractors are a vitally integral part of it, as are the school bus drivers because they become part of the extended family. I pay tribute to all bus drivers the length and breadth of the country for the work they do throughout the year and in the more challenging winter months.

“I assure the Deputy and the House that we will be working extremely hard over the next months to make sure we have the best information for families in as timely a fashion as possible.

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