Ballivor bus worry for parents

As students prepare to return to Athboy Community School next week, several Ballivor parents are anxiously waiting to find out if their children will have places on the school bus.
In the past week, a number of parents received letters stating that their child had not secured a bus place causing huge concern for parents, many of whom have no other way to get their children to school.
Several worried parents contacted the Meath Chronicle last week after being informed by letter that their child did not get a bus place this term.
While a number of parents acknowledged that they missed the 29th July payment deadline by a couple of days, at least one parent had paid up by the deadline yet their child still did not get a place.
Róisín Greene’s son is going into second year and said she paid well in advance of the deadline but her son still didn’t get a seat.
“I rang last Monday morning and they said 'sorry about that but that’s it.’”
Martina O’Sullivan said she paid the Thursday after the 29th July deadline and didn’t think it would be a problem as her child always got the bus ticket.
When she couldn’t complete the payment on her phone, she contacted Bus Eireann and said a “lovely man said don’t worry there are loads of seats”.
She managed to complete the transaction on line and thought it was all sorted until the letter arrived.
Debbie Boyne told how she tried to make the payment for her two children a day or two after the deadline but the system wouldn’t let her.
Linda Grant said; “I paid the week after the date, as soon as I had it and I got a letter on Thursday morning saying it was running to capacity.”
Celine Sherlock, who has a daughter going into second year said: “I got a letter saying there were no spaces, I admit I was four or five days late paying it as I was waiting on child benefit. But I was late last year and it was fine.”
After highlighting the problem with Bus Eireann and the school, as well as local public representatives, it appears attempts are being made to find a resolution.

Yesterday, Ms Sherlock got word that the situation may be resolved and affected children may still get places, but there has been no official confirmation of a solution as yet. 

When contacted, a spokesperson for Bus Eireann said; “The application deadline for the School Transport Scheme for the 2016/17 school year was April 29th 2016 and the deadline for receipt of payments was July 29th last.'

The spokesperson added: “There are two large vehicles operating from this area to Athboy Community School and there has been no reduction in seating capacity for the 2016/2017 term.