Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue, which has been raised in the House many times in recent years. It relates to the inconsistency whereby school bus drivers who reach the age of 70 years are no longer able to transport children to and from schools, although these same bus drivers may transport children from the same school on a school tour to the furthest distance possible, for instance, driving school children on a school tour from Carlow to Donegal and back on the same day. There is no logical reason why the same bus driver may not transport children to and from schools on a route that they probably know better than anyone.

It is a contradiction that the school bus driver who knows the area is not in a position to do that. It is ageist that the day he or she turns 70 years, the driver must immediately forfeit that route due to his or her age. Currently, we are encouraging able-bodied people to work longer. We have an ageing population and we will have to work longer. There is a contradiction where someone who is capable, knows the area and the students best and most likely is in a position to look after those children better than anyone else may not do so.

I accept and appreciate that getting children to and from school is a very important chore and that when people are older, there is a requirement for periodic medical certification to ensure they are capable. It is discrimination, however, against people who have reached 70 years. The Minister of State has given the same response to several Deputies. I ask him to consider a situation whereby when a driver reaches 70 years, he or she must undergo a medical test on an annual basis, in order that such drivers will be certified capable of driving the children they know best on the school bus on the routes they know best. It is not too much to ask where we have people who are able. The local school bus route, particularly in rural Ireland, suits a person who is retired who knows the area. Annual testing and certification would allow such people to continue doing the jobs they are capable of doing. This is discrimination which needs to be addressed. Enabling older people to get out in the community is good for their health and mental well-being, particularly when they are arguably better than anyone else to look after children on those routes.

Will the Minister review the situation in order that the exclusion of those aged 70 years and over is not set in stone and that there is flexibility for a driver to be able to continue to drive a school bus in a safe manner, once he or she has passed a medical test?

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