Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

On behalf of the Green Party, I extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the White family and to all the other families involved in the accident.

The report published in 1999 by the Joint Committee on Education and Science stated that a number of operators were providing services to schools outside the current school scheme and that Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government regulations governing the licensing of the buses came into play there. It stated that the strict safety standards set down by the Department of Education and Science did not govern these operators. The report recommended that the current safety standards of the school transport scheme should be extended to these private services and that to commence this, these operators should seek a licence from the Department of Education and Science to transport schoolchildren.

The Minister appears to be saying that the vehicle involved in the accident was registered for roadworthiness with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the operator had a PSV licence with the Department of Transport but it was not licensed under the school transport scheme which is operated by the Department of Education and Science. If that is the case, is it intended to centralise management of the school transport system in the one Department?

On the use of seat belts, the Minister said that his Department commenced discussions with the private operators on how best to implement the safety aspects of seat belts. In response to a question by my colleague, Deputy Gogarty, on 15 February, the Minister for Education and Science said it was anticipated that the Department of Transport would issue guidelines shortly on the fitting and standards of seat belts required for private contractors' vehicles. When can we expect such standards to be published? Will this provide time to have all buses fitted with seat belts by the end of 2006? If seat belts become mandatory, should we consider using three-way harness seat belts rather than the lap belt because it would provide greater protection? It appears the lap belt can result in some abdominal injuries in certain bus accidents.

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