Parents ‘totally dissatisfied’ with transport arrangements

23 September 2020

EDUCATION officials have been asked to address a school transport issue impacting on students who live in Kilcoo and attend St Malachy’s High School in Castlewellan.

The issue has been raised with the Education Authority by Newry, Mourne and Down Council chairwoman Laura Devlin who has been contacted by a number of concerned parents.

Mrs Devlin said there have been “significant and longstanding issues” with the school transport between the village and the school.

She revealed that a number of parents are “totally dissatisfied” with the current transport arrangements which she said need to be reviewed and enhanced.

The council chairman said that while some students applied for bus pass for their children and were issued with a permit, there is currently no Translink service capable of taking students to and from school at an appropriate time.

Mrs Devlin said other local parents whose children are already attending St Malachy’s have now been informed that they cannot be accommodated on the standard bus and that an “overflow” bus is required.

“Other children don’t have access to transport and are depending upon lifts to and from school,” she explained. “It is my understanding that over the past few years there has been continual issues and children often left with no school transport at all. This is far from good enough.

“I have made urgent representations to the Education Authority calling for equity for Kilcoo children. Many parents work and would and are not available to take their children to school.”

Mrs Devlin said if a child is eligible for transport to and from school, it must be provided by the Education Authority.

She added: “It is very unfair, especially this early into the school term to add any additional burden on what is already a stressful time for children who have returned to education for the first time in six months. This issue must be rectified and soon.”

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