By Sean Moriarty

Killarney-based coach tour and school bus operators say they are on their knees as a result of escalating fuel prices.

After two years of shutdowns as a result of the pandemic, the sector faces a new challenge as fuel prices hit record highs following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Many local operators honoured pre-pandemic bookings but they were priced at 2019 costs.

School operators are also feeling the pinch with the Coach Tourism and Transport Council of Ireland threatening to pull school bus runs unless there is something done to cap the price of diesel.

O’Callaghan Coaches are one such local operator. The family run firm has described the fuel crisis as a “sucker punch” after two years of being parked up as a result of COVID-19 restrictions.

The company also services several Killarney schools under a very competitive tender and contract scheme where there is very little margin for shock price increases in any part of the business.

“We are being crucified, we are on our knees,” Phillip O’Callaghan told the Killarney Advertiser. “The school situation is not a threat – it simply will not be possible for operators to keep buses on the road.”

Some large scale operators in the Killarney area are struggling to get supplies to their fuel tanks in their depots and are resorting to filling buses and trucks at regular filling stations.

This increase in demand at the forecourt will eventually cause supply issues for motorists.

Nationally there are reports of fuel trucks being turned away from Whitegate, near Bantry, Ireland’s only refinery, as there is not enough fuel there to meet current demand.

HITCHHIKE

The situation is so bad that a Killarney worker had no option but to thumb to work due to rising fuel costs.

Kilgarvan councillor Jackie Healy-Rae picked up a young college student who was thumbing to work this week.Fuel prices are at a record high price at the cost of diesel could soon be over €2 a litre. It is likely to get even worse as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.Healy-Rae said the youngster could no longer afford to put fuel in his car and have money left over for himself.“This is a young fellow heading to work in the hospitality sector in Killarney, he is working to pay his way through college. He was explaining to me that it is just not feasible to put petrol in his car and he started thumbing to work,” Cllr Healy-Rae told the Killarney Advertiser.