Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

It is important to understand that the authorities involved in issuing licences have specific responsibilities in so doing. Moreover, they co-operate closely in this respect. The Garda Síochána and the testing authorities are responsible for roadworthiness. As far as this bus was concerned, I am happy to state that this was done properly. Before a bus can be taxed, its owner must present a valid roadworthiness certificate to the motor tax authorities, which removes any possibilities of anything going amiss in that regard. In addition, before a vehicle can be put on the road with a passenger transport operator's licence, the owner must produce a certificate of roadworthiness.

As for the issue to which I have alluded — I was clear in this respect yesterday — my view is that all buses that carry children for whatever reason should be fitted with safety belts. Such buses are not necessarily hired by schools and may be used to carry school or club teams and for all sorts of things. Such buses are not used exclusively for carrying children and operate for all purposes. Effectively, the question is whether we should consider retrofitting the country's entire fleet. I have asked my officials to examine that issue. As a starting point, we can and should insist or strongly advise parents, clubs or whoever hires such buses through private hire, that they should insist on getting a bus which has already been fitted with safety belts. As the year progresses, many additional buses with such features will become available, because thousands of buses used in the school bus system come from the private sector and are used for myriad purposes. Hence, capacity will be made available in the immediate future and everyone should be alerted to this.

A number of issues have been raised for the industry. A decision to retrofit all buses would probably remove many buses from the system because the costs involved in trying to retrofit would be extremely substantial. That is my instinctive reaction, although I wish to be more clear in that regard. Some of the myriad types of buses will not lend themselves to the retrofitting of safety belts. This has already become an issue with the buses with which my colleagues, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin, and the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera, have been involved through the school transport system. Already, it has been necessary to agree 21 different standards to cater for 21 different types of vehicles. However, we managed to set an extremely high standard that works in each case.

As for the EU issues, my I understanding is, barring further advice, that we must notify and get agreement from all the other European member states and the European Commission to retrofit all coaches. While one might not expect an objection, there are some free trade issues, in that within the European Union, no member state can impose a measure that could prevent equal competition from another bus company wishing to operate there. While these are the issues, I hope they are not insurmountable and that good sense will prevail. All member states should take this path.

I understand that at previous discussions at European Union level which took place before I took responsibility for this Department, this issue was discussed. The outcome of the ministerial meetings and deliberations was that all new vehicles should be so fitted. It was decided that it would be impractical to retrofit all the vehicles used for a variety of reasons.

The retrofitting programme is on schedule and I have gone through it in some detail. My colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera spoke clearly and at length in this regard yesterday.

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