Bus Eireann: 'School bus firms won't hold us to ransom'

Bus Eireann said today it would not be held to ransom by private school bus operators who are threatening to strike at the start of the new term.

Around five of the 57 operators in the Sligo area have demanded an increase of 15% for carrying schoolchildren on the daily run due to rising diesel prices.

Bus Eireann said the demand was nearly three times the 4.5% increase approved by the Department of Education.

A spokeswoman said: “We can’t be held to ransom by this kind of greed and opportunism. What’s happening here is that they feel this is the right time to milk it and we can’t really encourage that kind of behaviour by capitulating.”

Yesterday, a number of pupils who were due to attend St Cecilia’s special school and Gaelscoil Chnoc na Re in Sligo town were left stranded.

Most of the pupils living along the affected routes are not due to return to school in Sligo town until Thursday.

The Bus Eireann spokeswoman said the company would consider providing buses from its own fleet to transport the pupils or hiring private operators if the dispute is not resolved.

“Obviously we hope to come to a resolution. We hope they’ll see sense and sign contracts because we don’t want any further disruption to kids,” she said.

Around 20 operators in the Sligo region had originally been demanding a 15% increase in pay but this number has now dropped to five.

Bus Eireann said private operators had been given increases of 10% in 2000, 5% in 2001, 7.5% in 2002, 0% in 2003, 4.5% in 2004 and 4.5% this year.

The contract to perform the school bus run is worth up to €170,000 annually for some operators in rural areas.

Last night, a private bus operator in Co Galway agreed to transport schoolchildren to Seamount College in Kinvara after pupils had been left stranded on their first day back at school.

The company had reportedly been demanding an increase of 30% in its payment rate.