Wicklow Parents slam Minister over School Buses

Parents from the County Wicklow National Parents Council have slammed Willie O'Dea, Minister for State at the Department of Education, over the lack of adaquate school bus transportation for children. A delegation of Wicklow parents met Minister O'Dea on February 6th and presented him with the results of a survey on school transportation in the Garden County. In

Wicklow Parent's Delegation meet Minister O'Dea

particular parents are concerned that not every child on school buses has a seat or a seat belt. Instead three children must squeeze into two seats.

Other problems with school bus transportation identified by the parents include the lack of communication and first aid facilities on all buses and the lack of supervision of children who's school bus arrives before schools open. Parents are also concerned about the number of old buses being used for school transportation and about the lack of clear rules forbiding the overtaking of school buses as children are getting off.

Minister O'Dea's office is currently working on a study of school transportation. The minister has also upgraded all school bus transportation for children with special needs, giving each one a seat and a seatbelt. However the parents feel that these measures should be extended to include all children. "It would cost €50 million to upgrade national school transportation to ensure that every child has a seat with a seat belt on a schoolbus", says Andrew Manson, spokesperson for the Wicklow NPC.