The Bus Éireann School Transport Scheme operates a bus service from Bucklearys X / Upper Glanmire/ Whites Cross to Coláiste an Chroí Naofa. Every year this service is oversubscribed due to the demand for it. We, as parents, apply each year without knowing if we have a ticket for our children for the forthcoming school year. Every year we wait holding our breath - hoping and praying our children get a seat on the bus. This is due to a concessionary ticketing allocation that operates as a lottery and is completely unfair. This should be about children accessing their education not winning a prize!

September 2023 the school bus was oversubscribed yet again. This meant a number of children lost their seats or new pupils starting secondary school didn't get a place on the bus. As a rural community, we are coming together in solidarity to campaign for our children and future pupils starting in September 2024. Our aim is clear - no child should be left behind without a seat. Most of our children attended our local primary school in Upper Glanmire. Colaiste an Chroí Naofa is a feeder school for our area. It's a school we also choose as a natural progression with the same ethos, relatively small class sizes as well as the same community GAA and activities.

We are asking you to sign our petition to support our community and our children in asking Minister Norma Foley to engage with us and see for herself our growing community needs a second bus on this route. We are asking Minister Foley to take a common sense approach sooner rather than later before more pupils lose out.