A Waterford Fianna Fail TD has raised the case of a local family who had to travel two hours by bus from their emergency accommodation to school every day.

Mary Butler was speaking in the Dáil during a motion on Educational Supports for Children Experiencing Homelessness.

She says the family from Dungarvan had to present to Waterford City for homeless services when their rented accommodation became unavailable.

“They were subsequently accommodated in Waterford city on a temporary basis.

“The children, aged three and five, were enrolled in school in Dungarvan, which is an hour’s travel from Waterford city by bus.

“As their accommodation was a short-term solution, the parents believed it was best to continue to bring their children to school in Dungarvan.

“Every day for six weeks, these young children undertook the two-hour return journey. While the children were in school the parents, one of whom had a disability, had to wait in Dungarvan until they finished school, each at a different time”

She says they family are thankfully now living back in Dungarvan.

“What struck me most about these parents was that, had it not been the case that the dad had free travel due to a disability, they would not have been able to afford the bus fares from Waterford to Dungarvan and back five days a week. That was the problem.

“Perhaps this is something the Minister of State could bring up with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The family was lucky from the point of view that they had free travel which enabled them to keep the children in the security of their education.

“They also knew that their housing situation was going to last only a short length of time. This is not the case for all families.”

Deputy Butler called on the Minister to look at the cost of getting to school for children in emergency accommodation.

“The fact that they would not have been able to afford this travel was the one issue this mother asked me to raise.

“I know that is not a matter only for the Department of Education and Skills, but for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

“The cost of transport to maintain continuity of schooling for people who have to move outside their normal locations is an issue which certainly needs to be given consideration.

“We are all in agreement that continuity of schooling is very important for all children, regardless of where they live.”