Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 349: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he has received any communication regarding the installation of sub-standard driver seating on public transport buses and the possible health effects on employees; and if, in view of the heightened public awareness regarding safety on public transport, he is satisfied that adequate mechanisms are [i]in situ[/i] throughout the public transport system in terms of bus, passengers and drivers' health and safety; if he has received any communications on these issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23909/05]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has received no communication of the nature referred to in the Deputy's question. My Department does not have overall responsibility for public transport matters or public transport safety matters specifically, except to the extent that occupational safety, health and welfare legislation, which is administered and enforced by the Health and Safety Authority, applies to employees in the sector, as it does to employees in every sector of the economy.

Directive 2002/44/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 June 2002 on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents — vibration — is due to be transposed into national legislation by the member states this year. This directive applies to activities in which workers are or are likely to be exposed to risks from mechanical vibration during their work. It relates to "hand-arm vibration" and "whole body vibration" and will apply, inter alia to vehicles with poor suspension and vehicles with badly designed or positioned controls or which require drivers to adopt a poor driving posture. It may be possible that some public transport vehicles fall into this category and it will be a matter for companies operating public transport services to comply with the directive when it is transposed. Transposition regulations are being developed by the Health and Safety Authority, which, when signed and brought into operation, will involve protecting workers from risks in this area.