Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Fianna Fail)

I raise the ongoing problem with allowing people to drive for Bus Éireann beyond the age of 70. By today or tomorrow, every secondary school child and nearly every primary school child will be on their holidays. Every level of public representative - councillor, Senator and TD - knows what is coming around the corner. We will be inundated with people who have been refused school bus places and are waiting to see if they will get on the school bus. People over the age of 70 who are able to do so should be allowed to continue to drive for Bus Éireann. It is not just those who drive for it directly, but also those who are subcontracted, who must retire. We are all for child safety. I recommend that there would be a driving test and obviously a medical, even if it was on an annual basis. Many people aged 70 and over are in better fettle than myself and are very obviously healthy. I call on Bus Éireann to reconsider this rule. It makes no sense. Once drivers have proven that they are healthy and able to drive, I can see no reason they should not be allowed to do so. It would definitely free up spaces. Many people have recently turned 70 who have had to retire. We all know what is ahead of us from the middle of August. It would put a good hole in the appeals and help with allocations if those drivers were allowed to continue to drive.