Hundreds of schoolchildren are estimated to be without a schoolbus as the new academic year gets under way, despite paying for tickets earlier this year.
Bus Éireann contacted parents of children on several bus routes on Friday to say a “number of difficulties have arisen in some localities with a small number of contracted services” and that it was working to source transport as soon as possible.
The move has forced some families to scramble to make alternative arrangements at short notice and some parents say they will have to take time off work as a result.
Emma Kitson, a mother of four from Redcross, Co Wicklow, said it was causing chaos for families on the eve of the new school year.
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Her son, one of about 11 children in the village affected, is due to start school on Monday at Avondale Community College in Rathdrum, a 20-minute drive away. Meanwhile, two of her other children attend primary school at Brittas Bay National School, in the opposite direction.
I will now have pickups at 12 midday, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.45pm. It effectively means I cannot work in the afternoons
“We can’t be in two places at the same time,” she said. “We applied and paid for our tickets in May. So, I don’t understand why there is a big scramble at the eleventh hour. it is very unfair on families and for the kids.”
Ms Kitson, who also has a child in preschool, said the unavailability of a schoolbus also disrupting parents’ working lives.
“In my own case, as a result of the bus not going from our village, I will now have pickups at 12 midday, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.45pm. It effectively means I cannot work in the afternoons as the secondary school is a 20-minute drive there and another 20 minutes back.”
She also said the cost of fuel was another concern for parents. In the case of her son’s school, she said it would mean two round trips daily, or a total of 32km a day.
In a statement, Bus Éireann said driver shortages were being experienced in many sectors of the economy and throughout the country.
“Very regrettably, in a small number of specific locations, contractors have advised us that it has not yet been possible to provide vehicles/drivers in time for the start of the school year,” it said.
“While the situation is dynamic with solutions being found, currently this represents approximately 2 per cent of vehicles operating mainstream school transport services. Bus Éireann has contacted affected families directly and will maintain communications with them.”
It said if services are not available beyond the end of next week, grants will be made available to families who have already received a school transport ticket from Bus Éireann, and where difficulties have meant transport has not been in place for the start of the school year.
Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, said it was “completely unacceptable” that parents were being told that a bus was not available just one working day in advance of the new school year.
“There have been no reasons given and no indication of how long before this issue is resolved,” she said. “It has left many parents scrambling to try to make alternative arrangements, if at all possible. Bus Éireann must urgently put in place alternative arrangements for these students.”
The Department of Education’s school transport scheme is managed by Bus Éireann. The company said it has issued school transport tickets to 130,000 students travelling on mainstream services and that 99 per cent of tickets have issued to those who applied and paid on time.
Bus Éireann said if bus shortages persist beyond the end of next week, further contact will be made with families affected by Friday next.
“This will be to ensure that an interim arrangement to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements for the families affected is accessible to those who need it,” a spokeswoman said. “The Department of Education is currently in the process of establishing an ‘exceptional no service interim grant’ which will be based on the number of days children attend school and will be made available to the families.”
