Over 30 children without bus seat in Galway for September

Over 30 children in Co Galway are set to begin the new school year without access to school transport, prompting parents to call for urgent intervention from the Minister for Education. The demand for the School Transport Scheme, operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education, has increased, with more than 181,000 children and young people availing of the scheme in 2025, a 50% increase since 2019.

However, the rules governing the scheme have remained largely unchanged, leaving many families unable to secure a seat on the bus if places are not available in their nearest school. In Clarinbridge, Co Galway, the situation has become particularly acute, with families like Caroline O Laochdha's facing difficulties in securing transportation for their children due to eligibility requirements and proximity to schools.

Brief written by urgent.news from RTE News's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.