Siblings may miss bus to Shannon school

TEENAGERS in Kilmurry, on the outskirts of Sixmilebridge village, are facing the prospect of being forced to obtain private transport to attend a secondary school in Shannon, despite the fact their siblings are already availing of a public bus service.

A number of changes to the Post-Primary School Transport Scheme, as well as delays in informing parents their child couldn’t be guaranteed a place on existing Bus Éireann vehicles from Kilmurry to St Caimin’s Community School, have left outraged parents in “limbo”.
A large number of parents in Kilkishen and Kilmurry have received letters informing them that school transport can only be guaranteed for new applicants who are attending their nearest post-primary centre, which Bus Éireann claims is St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla.
However, parents argue this is despite the fact that Kilmurry is equidistant from St Caimin’s and St Joseph’s, based on AA Roadwatch calculations. The bus fee for two children from Kilmurry to attend Shannon is €680.
Parents also argue that Kilmurry, which is in the parish of Sixmilebridge, is in the Shannon school catchment area as defined by the department.
They are also incensed that they were initially informed by Bus Éireann in writing on March 9 that all ineligible applicants for the bus service to St Caimin’s would be notified by the end of May but this did not happen.
However, on Thursday, June 28, a number of parents received letters advising them that St Joseph’s is the nearest qualifying post-primary school after they had already enrolled their children in St Caimin’s.
Further enquiries to Bus Éireann prompted a proposed “lottery” system for children who had lost out.
Bus Éireann apologised for the delay in informing parents of the eligibility status of their children for school transport, which was due to the volume of applications for school transport.
Carmel Carey has two children already travelling on the bus from Kilmurry to St Caimin’s. However, she has been informed that her son, Christopher, isn’t guaranteed a place next September and should instead go to St Joseph’s Secondary School, which would mean travelling to Kilkishen to catch the bus.
She pointed out most of the families using the bus to St Caimin’s are within walking distance of the collection point at The Pumphouse crossroads.
“We are being left in limbo. No one knows how seats will be given out. It is ridiculous. Parents have been told that a lottery system may be introduced if there are not enough seats for children on the bus to Shannon,” she said.
Another Kilmurry parent, Bernie Agnew doesn’t want to pay Bus Éireann for  the cost of transporting Padraig (16) and Cathaoir (14) to Shannon if her son, Tiarnán (12), who is due to start in St Caimin’s in September, is forced to go to Tulla.
“Things are up in the air. It wouldn’t make sense to have children going to two different secondary schools. We just have to wait and see if seats become available on the Kilmurry bus to Shannon,” she said.
One Kilkishen parent, who didn’t wish to be named, described the scenario as a “complete mess”. Her 15-year-old son is already going on a bus to St Caimin’s but she has been informed her daughter must go to Tulla.
“I have already enrolled my daughter in St Caimin’s, paid for books and her uniform. If she can’t go to St Caimin’s, she will not be able to share books with her brother and I will have to incur further expense for St Joseph’s, which I can’t afford,” she said.
Aoife Slater, Kilmurry, revealed she wouldn’t physically have the time to drive her son, Ethan to Shannon once she dropped her other four children to a childminder, playschool and primary school before going to work.
“When you are living in the countryside, you have to rely on the bus service. I am willing to pay €350 if I can get a seat for my child,” she said.
Fiona O’Grady, Kilmurry has a son, Cathal, who started in St Caimin’s last year but hasn’t been guaranteed a place on the bus for her daughter, Katie, who was due to start in September. She has been advised to send Katie to Tulla.
A Bus Éireann spokesman insisted pupils from Kilmurry would be able to travel on the school bus to Shannon on a “concessionary” travel, which isn’t any different from eligible travel.
“Children, who have yet to commence their post-primary education, may be eligible for transport to a school other than the school that their older siblings are attending. While these children may be eligible for school transport to a nearer school, they also have the option of applying for transport on a concessionary basis to the school attended by their older siblings in accordance with the terms of the scheme.
“Being able to avail of concessionary travel depends on the availability of seats on the bus once eligible children have been accommodated,” he stated.