Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 270: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the breakdown of the private contractors who received the €1.4 million to install new seat belts on school buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39100/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 271: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when it was decided that private contractors had to install pull test seat belts to be eligible for a grant; the person by whom the decision was made; the way private contractors were informed of these standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39102/08]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together.

The breakdown of costs for the private contractors seat belt programme is as follows: €872,940 for the visual inspections of seat belts fitted to vehicles; €250,763 for the retrofitting of vehicles; and €319,121 for the development of specifications

In the region of 100 buses owned by private contractors were included in the programme.

My Department met with the associations representing private contractors in the school transport scheme on a number of occasions to update them on developments regarding the safety belt programme in school buses which was announced in July 2005. In July 2006, my Department agreed, that contractors who retrofitted safety belts in accordance with installation standards approved by the Department of Transport, were eligible for a grant equivalent to half the cost of retrofitting their vehicles, subject to a maximum grant of €3,000 for a large vehicle.