Michael Collins urges school bus for 30 Bantry pupils
Michael Collins appealed for a dedicated school bus to carry over 30 children from Bantry to Skull Community College, urging the new Government to act after two years of representations. He described the request as modest, said parents and children deserve reliable transport, and raised carbon emission figures tied to current car use.
Parents in Bantry and the surrounding area have advocated for a dedicated school bus for over two years to transport more than 30 children to Skull Community College. Collins said the issue had been raised repeatedly with the previous Minister for Education and he appealed to the new Government and the Taoiseach to work with the Minister for Education to provide the service.
Collins told colleagues that for two hours a day, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, the total emissions would be approximately 480 kg of CO2. He stated that after a week this adds up to 3,360 kgs or 336 metric tonnes of CO2 and argued that reducing car use or switching to more sustainable transport options could lower that carbon footprint.
The Taoiseach thanked the Deputy for raising the issue and said he would discuss it with the Minister for Education. He acknowledged that the school transport system has anomalies and complexities, said he shared the view that public transport can reduce emissions, and affirmed he would see what could be done so the children can get on the school bus.
Both Collins and the Taoiseach framed the matter as practical and immediate: Collins pressing for a modest bus provision and the Taoiseach committing to talk with the Minister for Education about the anomalies in the school transport system. The exchange places the request for a Bantry-Skull school bus and associated emissions concerns on the Government's immediate agenda.
Appeal for a dedicated school bus
Parents in Bantry and the surrounding area have advocated for a dedicated school bus for over two years to transport more than 30 children to Skull Community College. Collins said the issue had been raised repeatedly with the previous Minister for Education and he appealed to the new Government and the Taoiseach to work with the Minister for Education to provide the service.
Emissions figures cited
Collins told colleagues that for two hours a day, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, the total emissions would be approximately 480 kg of CO2. He stated that after a week this adds up to 3,360 kgs or 336 metric tonnes of CO2 and argued that reducing car use or switching to more sustainable transport options could lower that carbon footprint.
Response from the Taoiseach
The Taoiseach thanked the Deputy for raising the issue and said he would discuss it with the Minister for Education. He acknowledged that the school transport system has anomalies and complexities, said he shared the view that public transport can reduce emissions, and affirmed he would see what could be done so the children can get on the school bus.
Next steps and implications
Both Collins and the Taoiseach framed the matter as practical and immediate: Collins pressing for a modest bus provision and the Taoiseach committing to talk with the Minister for Education about the anomalies in the school transport system. The exchange places the request for a Bantry-Skull school bus and associated emissions concerns on the Government's immediate agenda.
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Transcript
For the past two years, parents in the Bantry and surrounding area have been advocating for a dedicated school bus service to transport over 30 children from Bantry to Skull. Despite numerous representations to the previous Minister for Education, this issue remains unresolved. Today I am appealing to the new Government to address this pressing need. Providing a school bus for these children is a modest request, especially considering the significant expenditure in other areas. These parents and children deserve reliable transportation to attend school, and we are simply asking for a bus to facilitate this. For two hours a day at the moment, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, the total emissions would be approximately 480 kg of CO2. After a week, this adds up to 3,360 kgs or 336 metric tonnes of CO2. Reducing the number of cars on the road or switching to more sustainable transportation options can help lower this carbon footprint significantly. So, Taoiseach, will you help work with the Minister for Education at the moment and provide this vital bus service for 30 children from Bantry to Skull Community College? Thank you, Deputy, for raising the issue. I will discuss this with the Minister for Education. Again, as you know, the school transport system has its anomalies and complexities, and I will see what we can do in respect of that. I fully share your view in respect of public transport can reduce emissions in terms of replacement of cars, and your commitment to the climate change aspects of this is welcome, as also, but I think more fundamentally you want the kids to get on the school bus and you want the bus for them. I will talk to the Minister. There are issues in our own school transport. Thank you, Taoiseach.