Louth TD raises plight of child refused ticket on regular school transport service

The case of a child with Down Syndrome who was refused a bus ticket on the regular school transport service in North Louth was raised in Leinster House by Louth TD Ruairí Ó Murchú recently, at the Disability Matters when Minister of State Michael Moynihan appeared before it.

The Sinn Féin deputy outlined the situation with the young boy, who has previously travelled to the local primary school on the school bus with his brothers, but all three were not given concessionary tickets for this academic year.

Deputy Ó Murchú told Minister Moynihan there was a need for flexibility when it comes to school transport for those with disabilities.

He said: “A number of kids with disabilities choose to go on the regular school bus. The parents, families and the school community believe this is very useful from the point of view of socialisation and the skill set learning by the kids. The problem is they are marked down as concessionary and do not necessarily have a right to that place. 

“A case was brought to my attention in north County Louth by a family that is very well known to me, and their Down syndrome child. 

“Due to the lottery, he and his two brothers were the only three concessionaries who did not get a place on the bus. Obviously this has been deeply traumatic for the child and the family and has impacted them greatly.

“It is also about the issues in relation to school numbers that we spoke about whereby numbers get reduced because the school has two fewer students on a particular date in September but there may be an intake that also takes into account a number of kids who may have Down syndrome or whatever else”.

In response, Minister Moynihan said that if a person qualifies for special educational transport the concession does not apply. But Deputy Ó Murchú said that while the Minister was correct, the family wants the child to travel on the regular school transport with his brothers.

Minister Moynihan said he would follow up on the matter with Deputy Ó Murchú.