PUPILS attending St. Mary’s High School in Belleek for the first time next month have been refused free transport because they live less than three miles away from the school. 
It has left many parents not knowing how they will get their children to school in a few weeks.
“I am very angry,” said parent Danielle McDonagh, whose 12 year son Odhran Murray will start the school in a few weeks. 
“It is about 2.4 miles from Brollagh to my front door. I cannot bring Odhran to school five days per week because of my work, I don’t know what to do,” she told The Impartial Reporter.
In a letter to parents the Education Authority said it may be able to offer concessionary travel but cannot consider applications from parents until November, two months after the new term begins. 
But even if parents are successful in obtaining free transport for their children they have been told the offer could be withdrawn at any time if “the seat is required for an eligible pupil”, or “it becomes necessary to reorganise services on the route” or if continuing the offer “would incur additional or avoidable costs for the Authority.” 
“If they were able to walk to school there would be no problem but there is no way a child is going to walk along that road, it is far, far too dangerous,” said Ms. McDonagh.
Road safety is also a concern for parents Lorraine McCaffrey and Luke Byrne who worry about Jamie Lee, 11, who will also start the school next month. 
“It’s an absolute disgrace that the kids have to walk across two main strips of road with heavy traffic and an upper road with so many bends in it that you could get knocked down,” said Mr. Byrne.
“It doesn’t make sense whatsoever, I am angry,” said Ms. McCaffrey. “I don’t drive so that’s a big issue. I have literally no way to get him to school and I am not paying for two taxis a day.”
Rita O’Loughlin is in the same situation with her 11 year old son Darragh McAndrew. 
“We live 2.9 miles away so for point one of a mile we are being excluded, I think it could be resolved easily,” she said.
“We are annoyed that it has had to come to this,” said Julie Kane, daughter of 11 year old Aoife. 
“They should realise that there are available seats on the bus,” said Dymphna Cassidy, claiming that some buses going to the school have been spotted in the past with “empty seats.”
Sinn Fein MLA Jemma Dolan said the issue should be a priority for the Education Authority. 
“I don’t understand it; the empty buses, the seats are there and you can’t walk that road. Waiting until November to make a decision is not good enough, the school term starts in September,” she said. 
“The policy in place does not meet the needs of the children,” said SDLP Councillor John Coyle.
The Education Authority was contacted for a comment.