Special needs bus service restored

Six people with special needs hopped back on their bus last week, after temporary funding was secured to transport them to the city for school.

The young adults from Monivea and Athenry had to make their own way to St Joseph’s training centre in Snipe Avenue in Newcastle when classes resumed in September.

That was because Health Service Executive funding for transport had dried up. Ability West wrote to the families in August to inform them that funding was not available to bus the students to school.

But last week, money was found to revive the school bus service at least until the end of this year.

The students, such as 19-year-old Maria Moran from Monivea, hope that a permanent stream of funding can be secured between now and January.

Maria’s mother, Marian Moran said: “We’re just hoping we won’t have the same scenario again after Christmas to be told we don’t have any transport available. This is a very important service for Maria and she’s missing out on the basic service due to red tape. The most vulnerable again left marginalised.”

County Councillor Gabe Cronnelly (Ind), who has lobbied on behalf of the families, welcomed the return of the school bus.

But he called on the HSE and Ability West to come up with medium-term funding to keep this vital transport service going.

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(Photo: Monivea’s Maria Moran, a student of St Joseph’s training centre in Snipe Avenue, Galway, at the school bus, alongside driver Johnny Moran)