Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

164. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding inspections for buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38713/16]

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

Currently over 113,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

Bus Éireann has advised that it engages the services of the Freight Transport Association (FTA) to conduct inspections on school buses that are utilised to provide services on its behalf under the Department's School Transport Scheme nationally.  The FTA are internationally recognised experts in the field of vehicle maintenance systems and safety standards. 

The inspections arranged by Bus Éireann and carried out on both the Bus Éireann and Private Operator owned vehicles by the FTA are designed to complement the Road Safety Authority annual statutory testing regime as an additional safety measure and also assess the compliance of private companies to the standards required under Contract.  These vehicle inspections assess vehicle condition, safety, and maintenance standards and involve a proportion of each fleet annually, both Bus Éireann and Private Operator owned vehicles.

Private Operators who have signed a Contract with Bus Éireann to operate school transport services have agreed as part of their contract to meet the standards required by Bus Éireann. They have also agreed that Bus Éireann may conduct inspections, which includes maintenance system and fleet, at any time, to check that their performance is consistent with their contractual obligations. 

The CVRT roadworthiness test is a check on minimum roadworthiness standards at a specific point in time.  The CVRT test however does not provide a warranty as to the roadworthiness of the vehicle in future. 

Bus Éireann operates on the basis of working to a higher standard that incorporates compliance with the minimum national standards and also industry best practice.