Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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I want to come back to what I was addressing with Ms McNally with regard to the NDLS and the ridiculousness of the fact the medical requirement is at 75 years of age, but what she has put to me are the excuses the Department is being given, except in the case of Bus Éireann. I will read from the Department's own website. It quotes the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, as stating, "People who are 70 years of age or over can now apply for, and renew, their driving licence without the need to submit a medical report [until they reach the age of 75]". It goes on to quote Professor Desmond O'Neill from the national office for traffic medicine, in supporting the change, as stating:

This change is welcome in terms of recognising that older drivers are an exceptionally responsible group of drivers. In addition, the change is supported by international research indicating that routine medical screening of older drivers is not only ineffective but may actually unintentionally increase injury and death among older people as pedestrians.

That is a contrary international research study, but the statement comes from the same Department. I ask Ms McNally to exercise her own, practical knowledge. Many of these children are being collected, especially at primary school level, by their 80-year-old grandparents, for the lack of a bus driver. I am going to be dead frank. If I were Minister for Education and the Ms McNally came to me, as Secretary General, with that waffle, she would not be sitting where she is today, and that is as frank as I am.