Joanne Collins (Sinn Fein)

I raise the issue of school transport and this crazy rule of Bus Éireann that its drivers have to retire at the age of 70. I had a phone call from the wife of a gentleman over the weekend. He turned 70 last Thursday and, on Friday, his wife had to drive the school bus to take the children to school and collect them. The school itself can contract him to come down a half an hour after the children finish school and take them on their school tour, take them swimming or take them for whatever they are going out for, but he cannot collect them from their homes to take them to the school and collect them from the school to take them home. It does not seem to make any sense. He could also get into a truck with whatever tonnage is allowed in the back of the truck and drive it down the M50 regardless of what age he is as long as he passes his test every so often or keeps up with his driver certificate of professional competence, CPC, hours. We definitely need to have a look at this because we are giving out every week that we do not have enough drivers.We then have drivers who are being forced to retire and sit at home. I do not know about other Senators, but I know many retired people. When they retire, they lose their passion and will to get out of the house every day. It can take an awful toll on them. We need to look at getting these drivers back on the road and see if Bus Éireann can make an exception. Perhaps it could put some rules in place whereby drivers sit a test and be assessed every year, if that is what is required.