Lack of transport forces parents to take unpaid leave to get children to Cork special school

Call to put interim measures in place while transport packages are sorted to ensure no child has to miss school unnecessarily

Bus Eireann Cork.

Parents of children with special educational needs in Cork are being forced to choose between taking unpaid leave or their child missing school as they are without school transport.

Children at Carrigaline Community Special School are missing classes because they have no transport options, according to Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould.

Bus Éireann is processing 29 applications for transport to the new school, which is understood to have 32 students.

“While I understand this isn’t Bus Éireann’s fault and they are working on it, it is unacceptable that this has been allowed to happen,” Mr. Gould said.

“Because of the nature of the school, many of these kids are coming from all over Cork and it is not possible for their parents to drop and collect.

“Some parents I’ve spoken to are having to choose between taking unpaid leave from work or their child missing school.

That shouldn’t be happening in this day and age.

Carrigaline Community Special Schoolofficially opened in September under the patronage of Cork Education and Training Board.

The new building was announced early in the year in response to a lack of school places for children with special educational needs in the county.

Mr Gould added: “The ETB has worked tirelessly to get the school up and running, and I want to commend them for that, but now they are being faced with a situation whereby children are missing further days of school because of a lack of transport.

"I’m calling on Bus Éireann and the department to put in place interim measures while these transport packages are sorted to ensure that no child has to miss school unnecessarily.” 

A spokeswoman for Bus Éireann said its Cork office is working “extremely hard” on reviewing applications.

There is, however, a lead-in period required to procure suitable vehicles, ensure all necessary safety checks are completed and drivers being vetted prior to commencement of any new service.

"When applications are received, Bus Éireann assesses transport options available, taking into account the individual requirements of each child.” 

Where a new service is established, the lead-in period involves route design, the tender process, the vetting of drivers, and the contract award.

There may be a time period involved for the school to source a suitable escort, and in some cities such as Dublin and Cork where there are large volumes of applications, it can be challenging to source suitable vehicles, she added.

Bus Éireann “wishes to assure parents that we are continuing to work intensively with the Department of Education to provide transport solutions as soon as possible for outstanding applicants".

Cork Education and Training Board said it appreciates the difficulty faced by the families while they await appropriate school transport. It is working with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the Department to “expedite” transport, it added.

A spokesman for the Department of Education said all parties involved are working together to process school transport applications as speedily as possible.