School buses to run at 50% capacity despite earlier plans

The government has changed its policy on school buses after advice from health officials. File Picture: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie

School buses for secondary school students will not run at full capacity for the coming year as previously planned by the Department of Education.

Following updated health advice from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), school buses for secondary school students will run at 50% passenger capacity as is the case for commercial and commuter services. 

Plans for primary school bus transport, which is to operate without social distancing and with children given assigned seats, have not changed. 

It is not clear if the restrictions will be in place in time for schools that are due to reopen next week. 

In a statement, the Department of Education said discussions are underway with Bus Éireann in order to implement measures so that any services that can operate at 50% capacity do so from the start of the school year.

All other post-primary transport services will be re-organised and additional services will also be provided as required to allow for physical distancing.

Earlier this week, NPHET recommended that secondary school students should follow social distancing on school buses. 

The Government had previously planned that buses would operate as normal, with students wearing face masks and sitting in the same seats. 

Previously the public health advice said that school buses were different from public transport because they were a "closed system with a stable and known population of passengers.”

Bus Éireann, which operates the school bus scheme on behalf of the Department of Education, said it will continue to communicate with families, contractors, and drivers about the operation of services for the upcoming school year. 

"Bus Éireann has been working closely with the Department of Education to ensure the safe operation of the school transport service when schools reopen." 

These measures include pre-assigned seating – a ‘bus buddy’ - to ensure that children are seated beside siblings or class mates, and additional hygiene and cleaning measures. 

Meanwhile, the group representing 1,700 creche and childcare providers has accused the Minister for Children of blocking it from sitting on his department's advisory panel on childcare. 

The Federation of Early Childhood Providers has accused Roderic O'Gorman of blocking it from joining the advisory panel crafting the future of childcare in Ireland. 

"Our voice is not being heard," said Elaine Dunne, the group's chairwoman.