A group representing private bus operators says it has written to the Department of Education warning that many drivers may have to withdraw their vehicles from school bus routes due to the rising cost of diesel.
The Private Association of Motor Bus Owners said it contacted the department two months ago and is still waiting for a meeting to be set up.
Diesel prices overtook petrol prices for the first time in December and since then they have continued to rise.
PAMBO's General Manager Mike Goodliffe said that since Easter he has been contacted by more than 150 drivers concerned about diesel costs.
He said the private industry provides 82% of buses in the school transport system and some service providers have been operating at a loss.
In a statement issued last night, the Department of Education and Science said it was in discussions with Bus Éireann in relation to the issues raised by PAMBO and it would respond in due course.
Separately, fishermen from Kilmore Quay in Wexford concerned about the effect of diesel prices on their businesses, are travelling to Dublin today.
They will hand out free fish in the city centre as part of their protest to the Government.
The Federation of Irish Fishermen met with Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Brendan Smith yesterday and is calling for a credible and early response from Government.
Europe-wide protests
The soaring oil prices have been triggering protests across Europe this week.
In the UK, truck drivers converged on London in convoy on Tuesday, closing main roads and causing traffic backlogs.
Similar protests took place in Wales, with hauliers threatening to blockade ports and refineries if the government does not help, stirring memories of refinery blockades in 2000 that caused shortages in some areas.
Drivers say fuel bills had risen by 50% in a year and demanded a rebate. Britain has the highest fuel duty in the European Union.
French farmers and fishermen are continuing their protests in many parts of the country. Fishermen from the western port city of La Rochelle voted to temporarily lift their road blockades in hopes the EU will take steps to cushion the blow of high diesel prices.
Diesel has gone up by 30% in 2008 and the fishermen say they want it discounted at half the market price.
About 100 farmers blocked access to an oil depot run by Total on Wednesday just outside the city of Toulouse to demand the government exempt them from a special petrol tax.
French truckers also threatened to take action across France if the government failed to respond to their demands.
Italian fishermen in the Adriatic began a strike this morning, while truck drivers in the Netherlands warned of similar action.
Organisations representing logistic companies parked a huge truck outside the Dutch parliament and handed over a petition to politicians calling on the government to reverse a diesel tax hike that is due to take effect on 1 July.
The Spanish Fishermen's Confederation called a protest in Madrid this morning against the high fuel prices and the main truck drivers' association in Spain has called a strike for 8 June.
And in Bulgaria, hundreds of truckers launched protests in the capital Sofia, the Black Sea port city of Varna and the Danube port city of Russe demanding lower excise duties on fuels.
