Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)

That is a different question but I am happy to address it in this way for the Deputy. We are all well aware that the majority of accidents involving school buses occur within the vicinity of the school. That is the reason I ensured some time ago that we would examine that situation and implement, on a pilot basis, a flashing light system on the bus to warn motorists to slow down because they are in the vicinity of a school bus.

The Deputy is correct that there is a debate on whether it would be appropriate for vehicles either to slow down or be made to stop when children are getting on and off school buses. He referred to the American system and I understand drivers are told to stop but America has very different regulations and a very different road system from ours. Situations that might arise there would be very different from what might arise here, especially in rural Ireland. We are examining all those systems to determine the best way forward in terms of safety on school buses.

This issue has been ongoing for some time now, even before the sad events that occurred in Meath. That is the reason the flashing light system is operating on a pilot scheme and on the basis of that information we will decide where we go from there. I am well aware that this situation needs to be considered.

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