A planned expansion of school bus services by 60% has sparked concern as to where the drivers will come from.

On The Hard Shoulder today, Dublin Schools Parents Association member Catherine Rossiter said there are not enough busses or drivers in Ireland as is - particularly for special education students.

It comes as Education Minister Norma Foley has today released the School Transport Scheme 2030 report that aims to overhaul shool transport in Ireland by the end of the decade.

Plans include increasing the number of children who can use school busses by 100,000.

The report says the distance criteria that a primary school student must be at least 3.2km will be reduced to 1km over time, while the 4.8km for secondary school students will be reduced to 2km.

Ms Rossiter said her “heart sank” when she read the report.

“There are not enough buses for the children in Ireland currently and not enough drivers,” she said.

“How do they propose extending the scheme when the current system is not fit for purpose.”

Special education

Ms Rossiter said she is particularly concerned for the future of special education busses.

“I already wrote to the Minister last August to ask her to ringfence special education busses before offering extra bus places to additional children,” she said.

“There are children with disabilities and I’m not saying they’re more special than others, but they can’t go on public transport.

“I’d like to see those services ringfenced before any additional places are offered to anyone else.”

Ms Rossiter suggested the Government “entice” early-retired bus drivers from Bus Eireann and Dublin Bus back into action to help meet school bus demands.

Eligibility criteria

School bus campaigner Caroline from Gowran in Kilkenny said she “welcomed” the report.

“The eligibility criteria are probably the most significant part that will be welcomed across the country – particularly in rural areas,” she said.

“Where we are, the criteria of having to be a certain distance from a school and having to attend the school they deem nearest to you has been an issue for years and it repeats every year.

“We have been campaigning for the last two and a half years.”

Caroline said many parents in her area are forced to change their work schedules to drop their children at school due to capacity constraints on local school buses.

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Main image: A school bus. Photo: Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland