No school bus in Limerick village is ‘putting students in danger’

THERE were no school buses running in Limerick at the regular time on Monday morning due to Storm Debi but there is no school transport at all in Nicker and Old Pallas.

The Leader was contacted by sisters Mary and Margaret Ryan, who live in Nicker. When they went to school the bus collected them and dropped them home but the same can't be said for their children.

On August 25, they received an email from Bus Eireann saying they had been issued with tickets for their children for transport to their school on bus services that had been “secured”.

“Unfortunately in recent days, a number of difficulties have arisen in some localities with a small number of contracted services, including the service intended for your children.

“We are working intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible, however, at this point, we do not have a transport solution for your service for the start of the school year on August 28.

“I wish to assure you that the school transport team is continuing to prioritise arrangements to ensure transport can be sourced and put in place as soon as possible,” reads the email.

It means up to 15 children have to walk from Nicker to New Pallas morning and evening to get the bus to Doon.

Margaret said it wasn't doing the pupils any harm in September.

‘Going for Growth’ returns for 16th year

“It was a bit of exercise in the morning and evening. It was bright and lovely in the mornings and evenings but this time of year it is crazy. It is black dark at 7.30am when they leave and then they have to walk up in the dark,” said Margaret, whose son Aaron, aged 12, and niece Lexi Ryan O’Brien, 14, who lives with her, are two of the children affected.

Margaret is worried there could be a car accident on the road and has concerns about people in cars approaching children.

“They are absolutely flying down that road, rushing to work. I ring Lexi at 8am to see if they got on the bus OK in New Pallas.

It is unbelievable the stress of it. You would be worried for them there is no two ways about it,” said Margaret, who doesn't drive. Her sister Mary is in the same position.

She has two children - Jodie Ryan Gammell, 13, and Tommy Ryan Gammell, 16 - going to Scoil na Tríonóide Naofa in Doon.

Margaret said she doesn't want to think about how many days school Aaron and Lexi have missed.

“I'd be afraid to start counting but I think over 10. You couldn't put them out in the rain. Now we are in November, nearly December, there is no excuse for not having sorted it out. It will affect their education and they love school,” said Margaret, who has contacted Bus Eireann a number of times.

On one occasion she said the person told her to get a taxi for the pupils. “I said, 'Do you know where I am living - there is no taxi service',” she said.

Bus Eireann had not responded to a media query from the Limerick Leader regarding the school bus situation in Nicker and Old Pallas at the time of going to press.