Bus Eireann has confirmed today that the A507 route to St Mary's National School in Virginia is to be reinstated on Monday. The development is being welcomed by students, parents and teachers after it emerged that many services across Co Cavan were suspended due to driver shortages.
Speaking to Shannonside Northern Sound, Deputy Niamh Smyth said last week's scenario in which students in Shercock were left stranded because Bus Eireann could not secure a driver was "unacceptable". She pointed to the reinstatement of the Virgina service and highlighted how the retirement age of 70 years at Bus Eireann needs to be re-examined so that school bus services across the country can be rescheduled.
Deputy Smyth added that communications at Bus Eireann could also be improved. "Bus Eireann really has to improve in terms of communications for parents, schools and for public representatives," she continued. "I know that it has been a really, really difficult time.
"The Minister has said that contracts were signed in good faith and those commitments would be lived up to. The Department and Bus Eireann were let down at the last minute by some bus companies and that left the very difficult job of communicating that.
"But the reality is that communication is everything in crisis situations."
