FAMILIES who were previously “left in the dark” as to how their children would get to school have been given some welcome news, according to one Limerick TD.
Local Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea confirmed that children attending the Educate Together Secondary School on the Groody Road in Castletroy, who had previously been told that there was no place for them on the school bus, will now be given a place.
According to Deputy O’Dea, at least a dozen families had been left without a place on the bus route after the secondary school relocated from the old Salesians Secondary School building in Fernbank to the new purpose-built facility on the Groody Road.
“Minister Norma Foley has been in touch with me to confirm that a school bus will be provided to enable pupils currently without a school bus place to attend the new Educate Together Secondary School at Groody Road, Castletroy,” Deputy O’Dea told the Limerick Post.
“She has amended the existing eligibility criteria to allow distance from their home to the school to decide eligibility rather than from the GPO.”
“This is absolutely brilliant news for the many parents of pupils who were left with no school bus place. In August, I was contacted by parents of at least a dozen pupils who felt they were left in the dark regarding school transport for their children.”
Families will be contacted directly in the coming days by Bus Éireann in regard to their applications for spaces on the school bus route, which, according to Deputy O’Dea, will be in place “very soon”.
“It is hoped that the new bus service will be in place very soon. If there is space leftover on the bus, other pupils who don’t meet the distance criteria can apply for a concessionary school bus place,” Deputy O’Dea concluded.
