Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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736. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an evaluation has been carried out into the fitness to drive guidelines in respect of public service vehicle drivers; if so, if standards will be applied equally between public and private operators; if no evaluation has been undertaken, if he will consider implementing same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17579/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I take it the Deputy is referring to driver licensing for bus drivers.​

Rules on fitness to drive are set at EU rather than national level. The fitness to drive rules for bus drivers are set out in Directive 126 of 2006, as amended, and transposed into Irish law in the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 537 of 2006) as amended.

These rules apply to all holders of a driving licence for buses, and are the same whether the driver is employed in the public sector, employed in the private sector, or is the holder of a licence to drive a bus but not employed as a bus driver.

In this light I have no plans to conduct an evaluation of the kind suggested by the Deputy.