Problems with school buses including a lack of supervision, rostering and facilities for the mobility impaired, have been highlighted by the Children's Ombudsman, Emily Logan. Tim O'Brienreports.
The problems present a significant obstacle to many parents trying to support their child's constitutional right to education, particularly in rural areas, Ms Logan told the Oireachtas Committee on Education yesterday.
She revealed the school bus service was the subject of numerous complaints; the last review of the service was 1998; and many of the recommendations of that review had never been implemented.
She also said supervision at drop-off points was lacking, particularly in the mornings when children could be left at the school gates 30 minutes before the school opened, as the bus could have another run to complete.
"There is a lack of clarity between the education authorities as to who is responsible for children's safety and supervision in these cases: the individual schools or the Department of Education," she pointed out.
Ms Logan said the children themselves had claimed the lack of supervision led to bullying.
The problems for the mobility impaired, presented by the bus service offered "yet another barrier" to independent living, the ombudsman also insisted.
"Parents have told us of situations where school buses have not been fitted with simple pieces of equipment which would allow wheelchair users to avail of the service.
"The children involved have had to rely on their parents to drive them to and from school," she said. While she appreciated that thousands of children travel on school transport every year and experience no difficulties at all, she said she was "hearing the same issues over and over again from parents and children from almost every county in Ireland".
"In most of the cases my office has examined, the Department of Education and Science adheres to the official School Transport Scheme policy.
"The evidence from my office indicates that the scheme itself needs to be revisited. The last formal review was published by the School Transport Review Committee back in 1998, almost 10 years ago.
"Ten years on from that report, problems remain. Many of the report's own recommendations have still not been implemented. Furthermore, in this time Ireland has changed radically, these changes also affect the geography and demography of education. It is crucial that the School Transport Scheme reflect and keep up with such changes.
Ms Logan concluded that in the coming weeks her office would receive more calls from frustrated parents trying to secure appropriate transport for their children in advance of the coming year.
She hoped that the new committee would bring new energy and a fresh approach to the issue.