School bus applicants set to be rejected

Junior education minister John Halligan has conceded some parents who have applied to put their children on a school bus will have their applications rejected and will have to make alternative arrangements.

Mr Halligan’s comments came after the Irish Examiner revealed last week that, as of last Friday, more than 2,000 applications for concessionary school bus places had yet to be processed — despite many schools returning last week for the new term.

Children who live more than 3.2km from their nearest primary school or 4.8km from their closest secondary school, are entitled to school transport.