Ulick Burke (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House for this timely debate coming, as it does, on the anniversary of the greatest tragedy in the history of the school transport system. Last evening in County Meath, the parents, fellow students and friends of the five schoolgirls who died, marked the first anniversary of their deaths.

I am appalled by the Minister of State's address in the context of what the parents and school children of the country have endured within the last 12 months. The record speaks for itself. Five children died in County Meath last year. There was a tragedy in Offaly earlier this year and a near tragedy in County Meath a few weeks ago. In her remarks, the Minister of State said that considerable progress has been made in the lifetime of this Government, but I do not know what she means by progress. Since 1967, when the school transport system was initiated on a statutory basis, little or no progress has been made other than the fact that additional buses have been hired to provide the service. Fleet replacement was only undertaken in response to emergencies. The new buses to which the Minister of State referred are, in fact, second-hand vehicles. Less than 1% of the total fleet comprises new, purpose-built buses for school transport.

Some 33% of the increased allocation for school transport, while welcome, has been for a new, specialised category of people with special needs. Since 33% of total funding goes towards transporting 6% of the passengers, we can see the perspective of what the Minister of State terms "progress". It is laughable in the extreme. If special needs are removed from the equation, no progress has been made and most people would say that our school transport system has deteriorated. When we peel away the monetary percentages we can see the reality of what is happening. The school transport system is basically a rural service and the partners in education — parents, children and school management boards — are seriously concerned about safety. One of the shortest paragraphs in the Minister of State's address, paragraph five on page six, deals with safety. It is not good enough. Where is the commitment?

I thought the Minister of State would confirm the commitment given, under pressure, by the Taoiseach in the Lower House to audit and test the school transport fleet independently. Despite all the tragedies, why is it that nobody with responsibility for school transport in the Department of Education and Science has moved an inch? It is not good enough. Bus Éireann must have a special facility to test the school fleet. Why are school buses not exposed to the same rigorous tests as commercial buses or private vehicles in the NCT?