Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher has contacted Minister of State John Halligan in an effort to solve the issues surrounding school transport for both the Loreto Community School and Mulroy College.
More than 30 students at present are finding it difficult to obtain the necessary school transport to and from their respective schools.
Deputy Gallagher said “I have spoken with many of the parents of the students directly affected by this decision over the past week and I have raised the issues with the line Minister in an effort to get a resolution to this problem and for him to get directly involved in solving the problem.”
He proposed to Minister Halligan that an additional bus be approved for the school route in order to cater for the additional capacity needs of the growing student numbers travelling to the schools in question.
He added “I impressed upon the Minister of State that the Department needs to adopt a practical approach to the problems pertaining to the Mulroy College and Loreto Community Schools transport issue.”
He said both these schools in question are showing constant increase in student numbers over the past number of years and therefore it is only natural to expect issues concerning student transport when the proper planning is not put in place in advance stated Pat the Cope.
“A well run and fully responsive rural school transport programme is essential for the provisional of education in country areas and I have brought to the attention of the Minister that in some instances a complete overhaul of the criteria and eligibility rules needs to be looked at by the Department – and such is clearly the case and point here in Loreto and Mulroy,” concluded Pat the Cope.
