John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy again. Obviously, I recognise that he is concerned with the safety and health of the 116,000 children, including 12,000 with special needs, who are transported around the country every year, sometimes in poor conditions. I accept that. When somebody is driving and has responsibility for the general public - particularly for schoolchildren and so on - the Department, Bus Éireann and I, as Minister of State, have a critical responsibility to review all medical evidence available and to be careful in every decision we make. There are criteria laid down for all drivers. I will not go through them today because it they not relevant to this particular question. However, the medical officer said that, given the demanding and safety-critical nature of the job, he deemed 70 an appropriate age. However, as I have told the Deputy, I will go back to the medical officer and ask him the criteria which were laid down and when the decision was made. I have no problem doing that. Now that I think of it, I was correct. That decision was made in 2001. Perhaps it needs to be looked at. I cannot say that in my capacity as Minister of State, however. I am obliged to take on board what the chief medical officer appointed by Bus Éireann says as it is in control of the service. I will certainly revert to the Deputy when I have spoken to the chief medical officer.

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