Parents group vows to
fight bus fare hikes
THE Donegal-based president of the National Parents
Association for Vocational Schools and Community
Colleges (NPAVSCC) has hit out at the massive
increases in school bus fares due from next
September.
Inishowen parents face an almost doubling of the
transport fees per second level student from €168 to
€300. Families were initially expected to pay the
full price of the tickets by July 2009 but Bus
Eireann has now extended the payment time to
December. The new fares will mean that parents with
two children using the bus will have to pay €600
next term – up from the current €336. The maximum
charge per family will be €650.
NPAVSCC president Frank McDaid last night described
the hike as a “punitive tax” on parents already
struggling with mounting bills to educate their
children and keep their homes going.
"This is a very punitive tax on parents at a time
when they could well do with it," said Mr McDaid.
"We have just had our annual conference at the
weekend and we passed a motion that we go forward
and talk again to the Department of Education and
the Minister for Education to try and get these
costs limited or reversed as soon as possible."
Mr McDaid said most families, and especially bigger
families, would seriously struggle with the cost of
books, uniforms and now, an increase in their
children's bus fares.
The Inver-based parents' representative, who also
sits on the board of the Donegal VEC, called on
parents in the peninsula to vigorously lobby their
local politicians on the issue.
"Making cutbacks in education is not the sensible
thing to do when we are tightening our belts.
Finland came through two recessions and not once did
they cut back on education and it stood to them.
"The Government seems to think that it can make cuts
in all sectors of society but education should never
be one of them. On behalf of our children we would
say to the Government, give us an education that
will allow us a quality of life for our lifetime.
"We would say, leave the students alone.”
Mr McDaid added: "Many parents don't realise that
these increases are coming in this September on top
of all the other costs such as third level
registration fees, books and uniforms. We would
encourage all parents to contact their local
representatives in a bid to have this increase
overturned," added Mr McDaid. |
