Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I am here in the absence of the Minister for Education and Science. The Senator will be aware that the mother of the Minister of State, Deputy de Valera, has died. Her funeral is today.

I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline the position regarding school transport at Milford post-primary schools. The school transport scheme was established to cater for children in rural areas who, if living a long distance from school, might otherwise have difficulty in maintaining regular school attendance. Approximately 131,000 primary and post-primary students use the scheme on a regular basis.

Safety on school transport is of paramount importance to the Department of Education and Science and Bus Éireann, which operates the scheme on behalf of the Department, sometimes with its own buses and at others through a management agency. Bus Éireann is responsible for ensuring the scheme is operated in the most efficient and cost effective manner having regard to legislation governing the safety and condition of vehicles. It has extensive knowledge and experience of all relevant legislation governing public transport vehicles, such as safety regulations, road worthiness regulations and regulations relating specifically to the school transport scheme. There is one regime and one set of regulations under which the scheme is operated.

This protest relates to the loading on the school bus service. It has been alleged that the bus is overcrowded. However, this is not the case. Since one agency, Bus Éireann, manages the scheme, the same standards apply throughout the country. This means that standards deemed suitable in one area ought to apply in another.

The permitted loading on all school buses is determined by the relevant sections of the road traffic regulations, construction equipment and use of vehicles, as laid down by the Department. Under public service vehicle regulations, the licensed carrying capacity of all vehicles engaged in school transport is based on a ratio of three pupils for every two adult seats. Great care is taken to ensure loading does not exceed the maximum legal carrying capacity.