Minister asked to investigate ‘Protestant-only’ school bus

THE Minister for Education has been called on to investigate the refusal of public school bus passes to a Catholic brother and sister who attend a Protestant school in Limerick.

The transport officer in charge of issuing passes said the bus is for Protestants only. Harry Gleeson, a Catholic who lives at Caher Road, Mungret, applied for school bus passes for his son and daughter who attend Villiers School on the North Circular Road.

Mr Gleeson was informed by letter from the public school bus transport officer: “Villiers School is a school under Protestant management and only children of Protestant denominations have an entitlement to transport on the special Adare-Villiers School Bus service.

Mr Gleeson, a Catholic, said he was amazed that a public body could send out such a letter. He said he could not understand why his son and daughter cannot go on the bus, which passes his house, because they are not Protestants.

The transport liaison officer, Deirdre Frawley, who is also chief executive officer of Limerick City VEC, refused to comment.

Cllr Niall Collins, a Fianna Fáil candidate in West Limerick, yesterday wrote to Education Minister Mary Hanafin, calling on her to investigate the matter.

He said: “This is clearly a mater of discrimination and not acceptable. This bus is a publicly-funded service.”