School transport issues in Kilmacrennan, Termon and Gleneely are to be reviewed by the Minister for School Transport, John Halligan.
Donegal Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn has confirmed the Minister has agreed to review the school transport problems for students from the Kilmacrennan and Termon area, travelling to the two secondary schools in Milford town.
Minister Halligan has also agreed to review the school transport problems for children in the Gleneely area of North Inishowen travelling to their local National School.
Senator Mac Lochlainn said: “Today, we conveyed in the strongest terms the hardship that parents from these areas have faced due to the shortage of seats in buses to these schools for their children and students”
“In the case of the students traveling to the two secondary schools in Milford, we outlined that under the terms of the school transport scheme, 21 of the 33 students who have been denied a seat on their local school buses are indeed “eligible” and entitled to a bus service and that therefore, the provision of an additional bus for them could cater for all 33 students including the so-called concessionary students.
“We believe that the Minister and his department must provide for all these students”.
“In the case of the nine children from the Gleneely area, I outlined the unfairness of how many parents, whose children had a seat on the local school bus over recent years had been left out this year and the hardship this brought on these families.”
Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, Leas Cheann Comhairle, also met with Minister John Halligan in relation to school transport for two secondary schools in Milford, where over 30 students at present are finding it difficult to obtain the necessary school transport to and from their respective schools.
He 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.
“Minister Halligan gave us a very fair hearing, and I was joined at the meeting by Deputy Pringle and Senator Mc Laughlin and apologies from Deputies Mc Conalogue and Doherty who were unable to be present,” he said.
“The Minister is to receive his report by the end of next week and I would expect a decision will be made by then, I am very optimistic that the Department will reach a solution which will accommodate the students that are affected by the lack of capacity on the school buses for the routes affected at present.”
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