Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Driver shortages are a big issue. Even in Clare, last week a bus route was discontinued abruptly because a driver fell ill. There was no replacement driver available for that Inagh-Kilnamona route back into Ennis. Efforts are under way to try to get another driver. The impact that it is having on the ground is really visible now because of the increased numbers using the school transport scheme. Reference was made to a new idea in relation to training drivers on the job. How long would that take? A barrier in that regard, namely, the €2,500 cost for training was mentioned but how long is the process to train to be a driver of a bus?