Laois school transport issues spark frustration at Co Council meeting
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ISSUES with local school transport buses sparked frustration at the latest Laois Co Council meeting, where Cllr Aisling Moran made the case for the reform of the existing system.
Independent Cllr Moran, prior to the meeting, submitted a motion calling on the council to call on the minister for transport Daragh O’Brien to actively get involved in the school transport issue and to review the current provision of services under the school transport scheme, saying that it is not doing the job it was set up for and that it was getting worse year on year.
Making the case for writing to the minister, Cllr Moran started by explaining the problem facing the school transport system, highlighting that the issues were ones that stretched back to when she was attending school. At present, the buses are passing through Laois half-empty in some cases, despite many parents clamouring for their children to be able to avail of the services.
The councillor explained: “The school bus is paid per vehicle by the department and a lot of those buses are actually going half-empty because of what's happening. People are applying for the bus ticket because it's good to have the bus tickets, but they may not ever use it and the kids who do need it can't get it. Bus Eireann told me that if you can get ten people in an area, they will provide a bus for them … but what is happening instead is the school is passing them half-empty and then a bus which costs €50 a head is driving to the school afterwards, which is making absolutely no sense.’’ According to the councillor, in 2025 alone there were a 180,000 children getting the school bus, with the idea, announced by the Department of Education, being that they would pay 92 per cent of that, so every primary school child would pay an average of 55 cent a day for a round trip on the school bus.
“And instead, you have students paying €50 a head, a week, so it’s just not working at this.” The councillor highlighted that under the current system, where you wouldn’t be allowed to take a trip on the school bus if there was a school available within walking distance to you, even if it wasn’t your school, people are, in many cases, having to claim they live in their granny’s or another relative’s house. This, Cllr Moran emphasised, is a practice that had been widespread when she was going to school.
The motion was seconded by Cllr Aidan Mullins, who criticised the fact that people weren’t allowed to have children going to multiple different schools if they wanted to be able to avail of a school bus service; a state of affairs which the councillor found appalling, saying: “Some people may have a different way of learning, in Graiguecullen there is one family where the kids are going to multiple different schools, but the TII are saying no it only works if you're going to one school. We should have our own choice.” The motion was also supported by the cathaoirleach of Laois Co Council Catherine Fitzgerald.
