New bus routes for Rochfortbridge school 'will mean savings for families'

The decision to sanction three new bus routes to service pupils attending St Joseph’s in Rochfortbridge, will mean a significant cost saving to many families, Minister Robert Troy has claimed this week.

“The buses are to operate from Killucan, Kinnegad area, Raharney, Clonard area and Mullingar town: up to this, parents were having to pay for a private transport operator to take their children to Rochfortbridge,” said Minister Troy.

He said Bus Éireann has vehicles and drivers in place, but in the case of the Killucan, Kinnegad and Raharney, Clonard services, operation will not start until vehicle inspections and driver vetting process are complete.

Under the new arrangement, parents will pay €75 for a child’s ticket for the year, capped at €125 if they have more than one child on the bus. The children of medical card holders don’t have to pay a fee.

Tickets have already been issued to the families who applied and paid on time for the services, but they have been told about the need to have the vehicle inspections and driver vetting completed, the driver vetting being the slower of the two processes.

“It is a very welcome development,” the minister said.