Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the role of her Department in relation to the safety of buses hired privately by schools or parents' councils to bring children to and from school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5722/06]

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Buses that are hired privately by schools, parents' councils or other groups or individuals to carry children to and from school do not come within the terms of the school transport schemes as operated by my Department. Such arrangements are entered into exclusively by the persons concerned and, consequently, my Department has no direct involvement in or influence over the selection of the bus operators, bus drivers or vehicles used.

None the less, I would suggest that it would be appropriate for those intending to hire a bus privately to carry schoolchildren to assure themselves in advance that the bus operator, the driver and the bus itself all meet the appropriate statutory standards as laid down by the Department of Transport in respect of the operation of a public bus for hire.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I asked the question in the context of a fire on a privately hired bus in my constituency recently. I thank the Minister of State for clarifying the position. It is clear that the safety of such buses is the responsibility of another Department and perhaps I should direct my question to that Department as well. Does the Minister believe her Department should have a role even in advising schools in this regard because in certain circumstances schools are using private buses more frequently? We would hope the school transport system would be adequate but because of parental choice in some cases, schools are hiring private buses. Does she see her Department having any role in that regard?

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To be helpful to the Deputy, I thought the question might be based on the incident that occurred on 6 February last. The transport liaison officer in County Limerick has been asked to provide a report on the matter and it has been confirmed that the bus in question was contracted to the bus authorities and not to Bus Éireann. I understand the vehicle was registered in 1987 and has recently passed its roadworthiness test.

I am sure the Deputy will understand that the Department has no direct role in safety or other aspects of what were private contractual arrangements. If we were to get involved in that, we would be in the ludicrous position of being asked to police those travelling to school by private car as well. If a school wishes to enter into this contractual arrangement to hire a bus for school transport, it is a matter between that school and the contractors.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Does the Minister of State agree with the system in other countries whereby the traffic is stopped when children are getting on and off school buses? I understand that is the practice in America or Canada. Would she support such a proposal in the interest of child safety? In other words, when children are getting on and off school buses, there would be no overtaking of the buses in the interest of public safety.

Síle de Valera (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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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.