Deputy Michael Lowry has joined with calls for government action on School Transport. Deputy Lowry says the Government did not properly plan services for this year when it announced free school transport for all. The Thurles based TD says parents cannot secure a concessionary seat as they have done previously or in some cases children that qualify cannot obtain a seat as the bus is fully occupied. Deputy Lowry was sharply critical of the performance of the Education Minister Norma Foley saying the chaos has been caused by her decision and that it is now her urgent duty to rectify the situation. Deputy Lowry complains that the Minister left if far too late to act – an estimated 15,000 applicants for school transport have no ticket at present. As a partial solution Deputy Lowry is repeating a request for the retirement age for school bus drivers, currently set at 70 years, to be increased – he highlighted that drivers over 70 can continue to work in private bus hire and for state bodies.
