The Education Authority (EA) are looking to recruit bus drivers and escorts to provide relief cover throughout Northern Ireland but particularly in the Fermanagh area.

The recruitment drive comes just weeks after the EA announced a series of routes across the county were not operating due to driver shortages and disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Routes covering primary and post primary schools in Newtownbutler, Brookeborough, Derrylin, Derrygonnelly, Lisnaskea, Maguiresbridge, Fivemiletown, Kinawley, Boho, Tempo and Enniskillen were all cancelled one day before the return of the school term.

We asked the Education Authority how any pupils had been affected by the cancellation of the routes, how many bus drivers were still off and how many bus drivers were they looking to recruit.

They did not answer any of these direct questions but sent the following statement.

An EA spokesperson said: “At times last minute changes can occur to any one of our 2,750 transport services but we are working extremely hard to keep disruption to an absolute minimum. The number of routes affected has been reduced significantly but we understand and apologise for the inconvenience caused for those families affected.

“At present there is an industry-wide shortage of drivers, and in addition driver and escort availability for the EA and private operators is also affected on a daily basis by COVID. We are actively seeking relief staff, particularly in the Fermanagh area, to help deliver this, and other, essential services. Further information is available on our website at www.eani.org.uk/job-opportunities.”

“We also update our website on a daily basis with information on any routes affected the following day and we have been working with schools to ensure that parents are informed of any changes.

“Our latest update showed two routes affected across Northern Ireland. The link can be reached on www.eani.org.uk/news/transport-updates

“We would also remind parents of the Department of Education’s guidance to consider active travel where appropriate and that home to school transport should only be used where there is no alternative available.”

Sinn Féin MLA, Jemma Dolan said she had been in constant contact with affected parents in recent weeks who have raised the issue of the lack of transport for their children.

“Through constant contact with parents this week and last it is quite evident that there is a serious school bus driver shortage in Fermanagh.

“There has been a regular stream of concerned parents voicing their concerns that it is unacceptable for school children not to have their allocated transport to and from school.

“It is a position I can not disagree with. It adds extra pressures on parents and school children that they can surely do without.”

Miss Dolan said she is liaising and lobbying the department to see what option they are looking at to overcome the issue, even in the short term.

“The Education Authority are looking for bus drivers and escorts to provide relief cover throughout the north and particularly the Fermanagh area.

“This is one thing the EA are currently working on but I believe this should have been done during the summer.”

When it was announced the cancellation of the school routes, one source told The Impartial Reporter that driver shortages were coming down the line and the pandemic exacerbated the situation.

“Covid is just the tip of this,” they said. “This problem was always coming with the lack of drivers and lack of forward thinking on how to sustain this.

“The transport department and the management have let the people of Fermanagh down.”