Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 427: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will consider paying parents to car-pool in heavily populated urban areas in which school buses are frequently overcrowded. [23076/05]

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 428: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will consider paying parents to car-pool in sparsely populated rural areas in which school buses are operating with few students. [23077/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 427 and 428 together.

The loading of all school buses is determined by the relevant sections of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, which are laid down by the Department of Transport. The licensed carrying capacity of all vehicles engaged in school transport is based on a ratio of three pupils for every two adult seats, in accordance with regulations set by the Department of Transport. The Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera, and I have decided to phase out the three for two seating arrangement on school buses over the next three years, starting next September.

The safety on school buses is of paramount importance to my Department and Bus Éireann. If the Deputy has a specific case in mind where he is concerned about pupil numbers on a school bus and communicates the details to the local Bus Éireann office, the matter will be investigated. I have no plans to depart from the existing school transport arrangements, as suggested by the Deputy.

Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 430: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the measures being put in place to have appropriate supervision on school buses. [23079/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I will await the outcome of the investigation being carried out into the circumstances of the accident referred to by the Deputy.