“A triumph for injustice,” that was how the principal of the Adair National School in Fermoy, Heather Smith, reacted to the news that an appeal against the controversial decision to axe the school bus service had been refused.
Bill Browne writing in The Corkman states: The service was axed just before the start of the school year after the Department of Education ruled the school did not fulfil criteria regarding the number of pupils eligible to use the service.
The school appealed the decision and there was a growing optimism that the service would be resumed.
Ms Smith said this week’s ruling now puts the very future of the 37pupil Church of Ireland School in grave doubt.
“So far parents have been very loyal to the school, in some cases making long journeys to get their children to and from school each day.
However, it is likely that the decision not to reinstate the service will have a hugely adverse effect on future enrolment at the school,” said Ms Smith.
“The bottom line here is that we need this bus service in order to guarantee the long term survival of the school. We would even be quite happy to share the service with another school or group if it meant that we had a way of getting the children to school,” she added.
Ms Smith said that parents of children at the school had been angered by the appeals board decision.
“There is a definite sense that they have been cheated out of something that they have every right to.
Particularly as there are schools out there with less pupils than we have but still have their own bus service,” said Ms Smith.
“It would appear that blatant discrimination against a minority has won.
“This latest decision is a triumph for injustice and goes against the very ethos of a government that claims to want a pluralist society,” she added.
Ms Smith said that the parents association would decide on a course of action over the coming days, but did not rule out appealing the decision to the ombudsman.
Mallow based Junior Minister Sean Sherlock said he was “disappointed” be the decision and urged the school “seriously consider” taking their case to the ombudsman.