Results 1,501-1,520 of 4,983 for speaker:Danny Healy-Rae

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: All right. Thank you very much.

Finance Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: I am glad to get the opportunity to raise a number of issues relating to the budget. When we talk about the budget, right around the country people anticipate or hope that their sector or their cause will get funding. We welcome the positive aspects of the budget but there are many other aspects of it that neglect and do not adequately address the issues that need to be addressed. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: I declare that I am a school bus contractor, as was my father was before me from 1956 onward. We have been involved in the business for 62 years. I am very proud to be involved in the transport of children to schools which is something I take very seriously. The Chairman indicated that what we are discussing is the safety of the school transport bus fleet. That is what is on my agenda...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: When the RSA released the information earlier in the summer, there was no mention of anything other than school bus contractors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: That explains where it started. That is fine. Ms Murdock said there were 873 bus inspections carried out at the roadside and it was discovered that 268 vehicles had major defects and 4.3%, or 37 vehicles, were deemed to be dangerously defective. What happened to the dangerously defective buses? Were they allowed to drive off? Was there some other facility to take them away from the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: That is not what I said. The vehicle will pass today but, in a week or two weeks-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: -----something else comes up. Our roads are not up to standard and many of the roads on which school buses travel are certainly not up to standard. There are sloes and bog ramparts and most of them are sunk down after the weather this summer and that will manifest in problems for all vehicles travelling those roads in the coming weeks. It is wrong to say that some bus contractors are in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: It is part of the regime relating to school bus contractors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: That is being done and it is part of the contract. I must point out to the Chairman what the FTA is about. It is involved in-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: It is part of the school bus testing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: I mention no name but it is a question of the safety of children on buses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: This lady knows that these buses are being tested by this company as part of ensuring the school bus fleet is up to standard. All the contractors have to abide by the rules. If a number of things on the bus fail the first test there is a chance to fix it, but if fails a second time the bus is off the road. Is the fleet of private contractors' buses getting older?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: Do we have any information as to whether the cost of contracts with private school bus operators has gone up or down?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: All right. How many Bus Éireann buses were stopped in the roadside tests?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: Is there any information as to the status of the vehicles? Were they defective, dangerously defective or just fine?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: If they are involved in school transport they should be included in the figures. It was said that Bus Éireann was operating a new system where, if a school run is up for tender, the contractor has to present the bus and everything, such as the commercial vehicle roadworthiness, CVR, tests and the public service vehicle, PSV, tests, has to be right even before the contractor gets the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: Bus contractors have buses of different sizes and a route may be advertised for a small or a large bus. It is not practical to ask a recognised contractor to have a specific bus for a specific run before he gets the contract. I agree that contracts should be advertised early in the year to be in place for September but it is not practical to suggest that a contractor has to have the bus...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: Must Bus Éireann tender for its runs? How is that managed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Safety of School Transport Bus Fleet: Road Safety Authority (24 Oct 2018)

Danny Healy-Rae: One law for one and another law for another. I merely raised the issue of the spotlight being put on bus contractors and the media attention. I accept it was through RTÉ's freedom of information request. I am in no way suggesting that the transport sector is doing anything out of the way. I know the providers are being tortured and tormented daily on the side of every road, even...