Bus Éireann and Dept are ‘plucking the rules from air’

A CLONAKILTY mum has joined a Fine Gael senator in accusing Bus Éireann of ‘plucking rules from the air’ regarding the issuing of school bus tickets.

Helen Gough from Ardfield continues to drive her two children to school in Rosscarbery, weeks into the new school year.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Ms Gough said that while her two children didn’t receive concessionary bus tickets for this school year because Rosscarbery isn’t their nearest school, they are nevertheless entitled to tickets under the Tams (temporary alleviation measures) scheme, as are three other students in the area.

Tams were introduced by the Department of Education in 2021 with the objective of providing transport ‘where such services are in operation, for post primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who apply and pay on time.’

Her son, who is now in fourth year, had a concession ticket for the last three years, while her daughter started first year at the same school, but neither got a concessionary ticket.

However, they both qualify under the Tams scheme. ‘But when I asked Bus Éireann why Tams wasn’t being applied in our case, I was told that it doesn’t apply if there are only five students or less. There is no mention in any documents about ‘five or less’. The first we heard of it was when I received the email from Bus Éireann. It’s quite a coincidence, to be honest, to be now told this.’

She says the rule of ‘five or less’ seems to be have been ‘plucked from the air’.

Helen said the daily school commutes, which can happen two or three times a day, depending on timetables, is taking a huge chunk out of her day and she is finding it highly frustrating.

‘I firmly believe that we are entitled to bus tickets under the terms of Tams and it’s most upsetting for my daughter who has only just started first year. She sees all her friends going on the bus every day.’

She said the most frustrating thing about the whole scenario is not being able to locate someone in authority to follow up with.

‘Once I start getting very specific on conditions, Bus Éireann don’t reply. They say it’s the Department of Education rules, and vice versa.

She said at this stage there seems to be no end in sight and is still waiting to hear news of an appeal she lodged with Bus Éireann.

‘It’s also the lack of responsibility to get an answer from anyone. We’re being encouraged to use public transport, but here I am driving in and out to Rosscarbery two to three times a day, along with four other families from the area. That’s not great for climate change.’

It is understood that a submission has been made to the  Ombudsman for Children regarding the right of parents to send their child to the school of their choosing.

Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard, who sought an update recently in the Seanad on additional measures to accommodate students who have no school transport, said these measures need to be urgently clarified.

‘We’re being told that these Tams will continue for the 2023/2024 school year but the reality for many parents, including Helen Gough, is that Tams are not being applied in practice and it appears that the Department of Education and Bus Éireann are not applying them on some routes,’ he told The Southern Star.

‘I was told that nine students from the Ballinhassig area were deemed Tams-eligible and were offered tickets on their school service. 

Yet, I have five students from the Ardfield and Clonakilty area who are also Tams-eligible (more than 4.8kms from their nearest school and attending their second nearest school) and I’m being told that Bus Éireann are prohibited from upgrading where there are five or less Tam families who cannot be accommodated.’

Sen Lombard said that despite numerous requests, neither Bus Éireann nor the Department of Education can show him where this ‘more than five’ rule is stated.

‘It looks like both of them are making up the rules and moving the goalposts to suit themselves. 

‘Tams are either in place or not, and Minister Norma Foley must be honest and give clarity to families who meet the criteria as published.’

He said Minister Foley and her department have no problem pulling information to tell him how well the school transport system is working, but that they can’t give him the information which states that one must have ‘more than five’ to accommodate eligible students.

A spokesperson for Bus Éireann said that Tams are in place for the 2023/24 school year, pending completion of the school transport scheme review.

‘Children who qualify for Tams are concessionary pupils. Concessionary seats are not guaranteed every year and can only be offered where there are spare seats on an existing school transport service.’

As reported in The Southern Star last week, over 30 students from the Ballinhassig area, who did not have seats on the school bus, have been given a lifeline after it was confirmed that a bus operator is to come on board to provide transport.