26/11/2014
NEELB Agrees To School Transport Plans
The North Eastern Education and Library Board (NEELB) has agreed to provide transport for the siblings of a boy who was killed in a road accident in Cloughmills, Co Antrim earlier this month.
Adam Gilmour, eight, was walking with his mother and five siblings to meet a school bus when they were struck by a car.
The boy died in the accident, while his five-year-old brother and the children's mother needed hospital treatment.
It was later revealed that the mother was concerned about the route and had asked for transport to be provided to collect her children from the house – particularly when they were dropped off at their home in the afternoon.
It has now been revealed that the board has agreed to the request.
Revealing the news, TUV MLA Jim Allister said: "Following weeks of representations and the tragic death of young Adam Gilmour, I have now been advised by the NEELB that finally they have agreed to have the Gilmour children picked up at their Loughill Road home, if and when they can face returning to that address.
"This was the reasonable request made to NEELB by me on 20 October 2014, and earlier by the family. Sadly, it took NEELB three weeks to even sit down to discuss the request.
"And as they convened their internal meeting on 11 November news of the tragedy came through and the meeting was aborted. The delay in handling the request is one of the issues I expect to be addressed in the report being sent to the minister."
He added: "While I greatly regret the delay in handling the original request and the tragedy that Adam died in the meantime, it is right, though it took a further two weeks, that NEELB should now provide the transport originally requested. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with this family in their deep grief."
(JP/CD)
Adam Gilmour, eight, was walking with his mother and five siblings to meet a school bus when they were struck by a car.
The boy died in the accident, while his five-year-old brother and the children's mother needed hospital treatment.
It was later revealed that the mother was concerned about the route and had asked for transport to be provided to collect her children from the house – particularly when they were dropped off at their home in the afternoon.
It has now been revealed that the board has agreed to the request.
Revealing the news, TUV MLA Jim Allister said: "Following weeks of representations and the tragic death of young Adam Gilmour, I have now been advised by the NEELB that finally they have agreed to have the Gilmour children picked up at their Loughill Road home, if and when they can face returning to that address.
"This was the reasonable request made to NEELB by me on 20 October 2014, and earlier by the family. Sadly, it took NEELB three weeks to even sit down to discuss the request.
"And as they convened their internal meeting on 11 November news of the tragedy came through and the meeting was aborted. The delay in handling the request is one of the issues I expect to be addressed in the report being sent to the minister."
He added: "While I greatly regret the delay in handling the original request and the tragedy that Adam died in the meantime, it is right, though it took a further two weeks, that NEELB should now provide the transport originally requested. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with this family in their deep grief."
(JP/CD)
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