School transport policy ‘causing disruption’

A new Bus Éireann school transport policy is causing disruption for families around the county, especially those in rural communities, a local councillor says.

For the 2026/27 school year, Bus Éireann will provide school transport to eligible primary and post-primary pupils. Applications for the new school year are open until Friday May 8, and the fees are up to €100. The service is dependent on meeting capacity, and more than 10 eligible pupils are required to establish a route.

Some parents are unhappy with the way the scheme is administered: “Parents have a right to choose their child’s school and how they manage their family, and Bus Éireann is meant to facilitate that,” Cllr Emily Wallace said of scheme.

According to the new policy issued by the Department of Education through Bus Éireann, transport is provided for children who live 3.2km or more from their local primary school and for young people who live 4.8km or more from their local post-primary school.

The criteria can cause problems for families in instances where their nearest school is full. Bus Éireann then allocates the child a place on the transport run to the nearest school after that. For many families that is frustrating, as it may not be their chosen school.

“For rural constituents, it’s unacceptable that this isn’t taken into consideration, especially if you have been given a place and that is your school of choice,” said Cllr Wallace, who voiced the complaints of many locals in a letter to the Department of Education in March.

A response issued from the department to Westmeath County Council said the School Transport Review’s publication in 2024 proposed changes to the eligibility criteria that would likely increase demand for the scheme.

“On that basis, it would be prudent to implement the proposed changes on a phased basis to ensure its rollout is as smooth as possible,” the letter stated.

The department previously pointed out that the number of children and young people using the service has grown from fewer than 120,000 pupils in 2018 to more 181,000 pupils by the end of 2025, an increase of some 50%.

In the reply to the local authority, the department said: “With the ongoing challenges in the wider transport sector, including availability of drivers and vehicles, any expansion of services must be carefully planned and phased. While pilot projects are being considered in select areas to test revised eligibility criteria, these pilots are limited in scope and capacity.”

Cllr Wallace reminds people that the portal to apply for school transport is open till May 8: “If parents do not register and pay their deposit (€50) soon, it’s deemed too late. I advise them not to wait – do it today.”

More information on the new school transport criteria is available at Gov.ie.

(Anna-Rose Mullen, a work experience student, contributed to this article and interviewed Cllr Wallace.)