School bus chaos as students across the county left without transport with just days to go before the new term starts

With just days to go before the new school term starts, families across the county are being informed that school bus services are not being provided 'for the forseeable future'.

In one instance, Meath Chronicle understands there will be no bus service from Kentstown to Colaiste na Mi next week with anxious parents only informed overnight (21st August) which could be affecting as many as 70 students.

Eileen Costello Rawat has two school-going children, one entering 5th Year and one starting 2nd year attending Colaiste na Mi. The family live in Curraghtown/Brownstown which is about 3km from Kentstown village.

"They've been getting the bus from Kentstown since they started in Colaiste na Mi, even my eldest son who is 20 now always got that bus," says Eileen.

"They gather at the Londis shop in Kentstown Village and there is two buses, there is a full size coach and a smaller one that takes the kids to Colaiste na Mi and they are both always full to the brim.

"We got the note to register back in April which we always do, did that, you have to pay by June, we paid in June, the tickets were issued to us, they arrived by post in the first week of August and then last night (21st August) I got a message from a neighbour to say they had received an email to say that her two children, one in 4th year and one in 1st year that the bus wan't going and the tickets weren't valid."

The email said there would not be a school bus until they could source a contractor to supply and run the buses.

"Colaiste na Mi is the nearest school to us, so this is not an issue over tickets or concessionary tickets that happens every year.

"My kids have already been back for their induction days and will start back school full time next Tuesday."

To add to the confusion, not all parents have received the email from Bus Eireann stating there will be no service. Eileen is one such parent and had to ring Bus Eireann to try and get answers.

"I haven't been informed, some parents were notified via email that no service will be operating. Others, including myself, have had no communication from Bus Eireann either via email or through their family portal."

"As a household with two parents working full time, living in a rural community, we are entirely dependent on the school bus service to get our children to and from school.

Eileen says traffic congestion on the Metges Road in the morning will be further impacted as parents will be left with little choice but to drive their kids to school/

"Poor planning and road infrastructure around the Johnstown Education Campus already causes significant congestion on Maple Close, this will also be further impacted."

Meath West TD, Peadar Toibin said his offices had been receiving calls on the matter and demanded Minister for Education, Helen McEntee intervene and resolve the 'crisis'.

!We're just receiving a number of reports of school buses that have been cancelled. We have news that a school bus going from Ballivor to Longwood has been canceled. This is an incredible situation.

"And there's also school buses that looks like they've been cancelled in the Navan area. And this is really poor form from the school transport system. And I've also been talking to private bus providers who are saying that they're not being contacted by the department to help in this, and that there is the capacity within the system, that there are the buses, there are the willing drivers, but Bus Eireann has not got the ability to get these buses into use, that needs to change.

"I'm calling on Minister Helen McEntee to get to the bottom of this crisis ASAP and make sure these children have a way to get to school."

Bus Eireann has been contacted for comment.

This is a developing story as other schools and routes are affected. More to follow.